School visits by authors or poets? Especially in north west England.

[roisin]

I'm hoping to arrange something this year for yr7&8s and have been scrounging together a decent budget to put it on.

Last year we had a published, but little-known author, and she was rubbish: a huge disappointment. (She came recommended from another school!) So I want to avoid this this year.

Any tips about how to go about finding someone?

Who had you had in your school (top primary or lower secondary) who was really good?

We are very isolated (SW Cumbria) hence the reference to NW, as many people are not prepared to travel such a long way and I don't want to 'waste' the budget on heavy overnight expenses and so on.

What about Paul Cookson- he's absolutely fabulous and travels all over the UK. We have booked him for May.

You could contact a publisher and ask them who is local and who will have a book out that needs publisising around the time you want.
They will do the spade work for you.

I've just found out we already have plans for a poet visit, so I'm looking for an author.

Litchick - thanks, but I really want some personal recommendations as I got my fingers burned last year.

I know DD's school had the author Brian Jacques a couple of times over the last few years. He has a website www.redwall.org/

It looks like he is touring the States at the moment but if you check out his 'about me' page, you can see he is from Liverpool so I think this is why we have been able to get him (we are in Liverpool) as presumably he comes 'home' fairly regularly. Cumbria is not that far away so it might be worth dropping him an email and see what he says - he might be able to co-ordinate something on his next trip.

(am sorry to say, DD does not read his books so I don't know much about him)

hope this helps

Bali Rae is very good I hear, and travels all over (Leicester based). Usually to your age group. Check out his books/ website and see if he would do for you.

And the charity Book Trust keep a list of authors who work like this and will travel. I remember your post about the disappointing author last year.