Kristin Butcher

Readings

Generally my readings focus on various aspects of the publishing industry, as well as my experiences as a writer. Students learn how a book gets published, where writers get their ideas, what an editor does, and who draws the book covers. Some of my talks are geared to specific novels — for example I share an heirloom chest of ideas when I talk about The Gramma War, while my presentation for Zee's Way is built around graffiti.

For audiences wishing a talk on specific aspects of writing, I offer a presentation that looks at books as mirrors, in as much as their content reflects the author, the act of writing is a reflective process, and the reader's reaction to the finished product reflects their own life experiences. My talks also include a short reading from one of my novels, as well as a question and answer period at the end of the session.

Can also present in Dutch and Slovenian.

Special Equipment:

Tack board, table, flip chart or chalk board, sometimes an overhead.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed, if requested in advance.

Workshops

The range of topics for workshops is endless: writing conversation; the all-purpose essay; the art of oral storytelling; recipe for a short story; writing effective description; narrative—how to show and not tell; point of view and voice; choosing words, creating realistic characters, etc.

For groups tackling larger writing projects such as short story collections, play productions, or units on fables and folklore, I offer a Writer in Residence package. In this program I visit classrooms at scheduled times throughout the project to guide students through each stage of the writing process. I introduce a step, allow the necessary time for students to work through it, then return to show them what comes next. This continues until the project is complete and students have a finished product.

Special Equipment:

Chalk board or flip chart, overhead projector, table, occasionally a VCR/TV.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed, if requested in advance.

Biography

I have been in love with books from the time I knew what they were, first as a reader and then as a writer. I was composing poetry in Grade 3, losing myself in Greek mythology in Grade 4, and writing my first novel in Grade 6. I have been setting pen to paper my whole life, but I didn’t attempt to publish any of my efforts until 1995. At that time I was teaching school, and my daughter suggested I submit the story I was writing for my class to a publisher. So I did. The publisher liked it, and The Runaways hit the bookstores two years—and many rewrites—later. After that I decided to quit teaching and pursue writing fulltime. Today I have nine YA and juvenile novels out there, as well as two biographies for primary students, a short story for adults, and numerous articles and reviews. My next novel, The Secret in Mr. Dotty’s Garage is due out in the spring of 2008.