Author Visits with Claire Legrand
visits@claire-legrand.com
Skype Visits
Claire is available for free 30-minute Skype Q&A visits/book talks. These visits are ideal for
smaller groups who have read one or more of Claire’s books and who have prepared questions
ahead of time with their instructor’s guidance. For Skype visits longer than thirty minutes and up
to an hour: $75.
In-Person Visits
Speaker Fees:
- up to two hours - $250
- half day (two presentations) - $750
- full day (four presentations plus lunch with small group/book club) - $1,500
For visits where travel is required, the same fees plus travel expenses apply.
For Elementary (4th and 5th grades) and Middle School Students
Meet Claire (best for large groups) – A general presentation in which I talk about how I started
writing, share my stack of rejection letters as well as the first books I wrote in elementary school,
and touch upon the importance of daydreaming and music in my writing process.
Finding Inspiration (best for smaller groups) – An interactive presentation in which I talk about
the use of daydreaming, music, and images in my writing process, and how important it is to set
aside time to let our minds wander ungoverned. Students will listen to music clips, sort through
digital images, and write stories based upon them, first collectively and then on their own.
Getting To Know You (best for smaller groups) – An interactive presentation about building
characters, ideal for writing groups/students interested in writing. Using fun exercises and
activities, I take students through the process of building memorable, dynamic characters. We
analyze characters with whom they're already familiar (for example, Harry Potter) and then
create our own.
For High School Students
Dare to Dream (for groups of any size) – This motivational presentation focuses on life beyond
high school and the college experience. I talk about changing my major and my career path
halfway through college, how hard that was, and how it was ultimately so rewarding. I talk to the
students about following their dreams and not being afraid to explore different possibilities.
A Whole New World (best for smaller groups) – An interactive presentation about world
building, ideal for writing groups/students interested in writing. Using fun exercises and
activities, I take students through the process of building fictional worlds—whether those worlds
are realistic or fantastical. We analyze a world with which they’re already familiar (like the
world of The Hunger Games) and then create our own.
Revise, Rewrite, Rinse, Repeat (best for smaller groups) – An interactive, technical presentation
about revising, ideal for writing groups/English classes. I show students my editorial letters for
each of my books and take them through the process of revising a book. I talk to them about
story structure and also share general revision tips such as tightening language, eliminating
crutch words/phrases, and the importance of peer review.
Finding Your Voice (best for smaller groups, classrooms) – An interactive presentation about
voice, language, and writing style, ideal for writing groups/students interested in writing. I will
talk about the importance of word choice when writing, how it determines a story’s tone and
atmosphere, and how it can tell us important things about the story, the characters, the author,
and historical context. As a group, we will analyze excerpts from beloved books. Then, working
from a prompt, students will create their own mini-stories, which we will analyze as a group to
determine each story’s voice.
Testimonials
“I felt myself instantly relax the moment Ms. Legrand began her presentation—such were her
charms and capabilities as a performer. Most notably, our students remained mesmerized for a
full 45 minutes. The plots of her books, not to mention the story of her journey from musician to
writer, captivated the kids and adults in the room.” - Natasha Goldberg, Middle School Librarian,
The Chapin School (New York City, NY)
“The copies of The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls literally flew off the library shelves after
the members of our middle school Literacy Ambassadors group Skyped with Claire. Her
enthusiam for reading, brilliant sense of humor, and genuine affection for the art of writing has
our students counting the days until the release of her next book!” - Dana Thomas, Library
Media Specialist, Cypress Lakes Middle School (Ft. Meyers, FL)