Books are not the only way in which I share my knowledge and enthusiasm: I also conduct writing workshops and give speeches on the subjects I have researched. Below are a few of my topics. If you are interested in a particular topic, please contact me to ask about my schedule and fees.
Workshops
Writing for Children
This 2-3 hour workshop provides an overview on writing for children, from board books to young adult novels. It includes numerous handouts based on real-life query letters, proposals, sample chapters and work schedules, as well as information on getting published.
Writing the Early Reader
This 3 hour workshop looks into beginning readers, early readers, and beginning chapter books, examining the differences between them. Participants will be introduced to successful titles in the genre and learn how to analyze the qualities of an early reader. Handouts are included, as is information on getting published. If time allows, participants will write a 100-word beginning reader.
Writing Fiction and Nonfiction
This is my most popular workshop, a 4-5 hour overview on writing adult fiction and nonfiction. In both the fiction portion and the nonfiction portion I provide pertinent handouts based on real-life query letters, proposals, sample chapters, and work schedules. Throughout the workshop I include information on getting published.
Chickens, Horses, Dogs: Animal Idioms in the English Language
This speech can be adapted for children or adults. It examines some of the many animal-based idioms in English and American culture, many of them expressed in proverbs. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” has been around for 900 years; “Let sleeping dogs lie” for 600; “chicken feed” for only 200. Where did these idioms come from, and what do they mean? Are idioms that have been around for hundreds of years in danger of being lost today?
Charlie Chan's Poppa: The Life of Earl Derr Biggers
Because of my 1999 Timeline article, “Charlie Chan’s Poppa: The Life of Earl Derr Biggers,” I am often consulted by people wanting to know more about Biggers. Recently I was interviewed by Cloverland Productions for a Biggers documentary for 20th Century Fox’s DVD release of its Charlie Chan films.
During the 1910s Earl Derr Biggers was a widely known and highly loved author. Had it not been for a 1919 vacation to Hawaii, where, lying on the beach, he conceived of “the perfect murder,” Biggers might have continued as a popular writer of middlebrow fiction. Instead, he moved into the mystery field by creating the Chinese-Hawaiian detective, Charlie Chan. In Chan, Biggers created a highly sympathetic, complex character who went against the racist Asian stereotypes (such as Fu Manchu) then prevalent in American culture. From the moment Chan stepped onto the pages of The House Without a Key (1925), Biggers life changed forever. “Charlie Chan’s Poppa” focuses on Biggers life and how it led to the creation of Charlie Chan. This speech includes a slide presentation.
When Women Played Baseball:
The Story of Margaret, Nellie, and Rose
In 1934 three teenage girls played hardball on the last traveling bloomer girl baseball team. Margaret, Nellie, and Rose came from different backgrounds and had different reasons for playing baseball. When the season was over they followed different paths — but playing baseball profoundly affected their lives and even helped determine their careers. This speech touches on the Great Depression, travel, barnstorming baseball teams, and women who wanted to play hardball.
