Rachelle Delaney

Readings

My author presentations entail:
- short readings from The Ship of Lost Souls (and soon, its forthcoming sequel)
- an interactive talk and slideshow, during which I discuss the writer's life and process and tell entertaining anecdotes about writing and publishing my first novel, using photos and graphics to draw the audience in
- a question-answer period

Special Equipment:

Overhead projector and mic for large groups (over 100 students).

Book Sales:

Yes, Rachelle will bring copies of herbooks to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed. The school will receive a sign-up sheet so Rachelle will know approximately how many books to bring.

Workshops

In my writing workshops, I guide a small group of students through a few fun writing exercises (often pirate-related, in keeping with The Ship of Lost Souls). For example, the students might work on character and voice, creating their own pirate characters and writing through the character's point of view. Or, I might read a passage from The Ship of Lost Souls that describes the rules of the ship, then ask students to create their own set of rules and reflect on what their role onboard a pirate ship might be. Throughout the workshop I offer helpful tips and explain my own writing process. Feedback from students, teachers, and parents alike has always been overwhelmingly positive.

Book Sales:

Yes, Rachelle will bring copies of herbooks to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed. The school will receive a sign-up sheet so Rachelle will know approximately how many books to bring.

Other Presentations

I also teach Writing for Children workshops and classes to adults (including teachers and librarians), and offer career guidance seminars for secondary students interested in pursuing careers in writing.

Biography

Rachelle Delaney was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1980 and moved to the West Coast in 2000 to study creative writing in university. Her original plan was to save the world by writing jaw-dropping articles about environmental devastation. Sometimes, she still attempts to do that. But now she also writes novels about pirates and jungles and smelly wild pigs, and other strange and fantastic things she has seen on her travels. She tries to inspire her readers to care about the natural world through rollicking adventures set in fascinating places.

Rachelle published her first middle-grade novel, The Ship of Lost Souls, in 2009 with HarperCollins Canada. Its sequel, The Lost Souls of Island X, is due out in Fall 2010. When she isn't toiling away at her computer, she is usually teaching creative writing throughout Greater Vancouver or planning trips to far-flung places.