Richelle Mead is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Vampire Academy series, which has also received honors from the ALA. A former teacher, Richelle now writes full-time in Seattle and works on two adult urban fantasy series in addition to her young adult books.
Visit her website at www.richellemead.com.
If you are interested in having Richelle make an appearance at your school, library, or conference, please use the online request form or email the Author Appearance Coordinator at authorvisits[at]us.penguingroup.com with possible dates, your school name, location, details about the day, and your contact information.
Author Appearance Q&A with Richelle Mead:
What is a typical appearance like with you? What do you do differently with audiences of varying sizes, ages, and interests?
I like to talk about how I became a writer and go over the myths often associated with the “glamorous” lives of authors. My student presentations are often very anecdotal in style, and I try to slip in messages about time management and the importance of revision while also telling stories about how I work in my pajamas and wrote my first book while employed by a hypnosis company. For adult audiences, the content can be a little more academic in style, though I still try to keep it fun. My sense of humor won't allow anything less!
The size affects how hands-on I can be with the audience. Smaller groups can be more workshop-oriented while a group of 100 may end up having to be more lecture style. Regardless, I still love taking questions and keeping things as interactive as possible.
What makes your author appearances unique?
I used to be a junior high teacher, so speaking to that age group comes very naturally to me—as does any instructional aspect, if the presentation is designed to be more of a workshop. I've had a lot of bizarre and wacky things happen on the road to becoming a writer, so it's really important to me to incorporate humor into my talks, even while teaching about a serious subject.
Do you enjoy making appearances for adult audiences? What do you do when presenting to adults?
I used to be a junior high teacher, so speaking to that age group comes very naturally to me—as does any instructional aspect, if the presentation is designed to be more of a workshop. I've had a lot of bizarre and wacky things happen on the road to becoming a writer, so it's really important to me to incorporate humor into my talks, even while teaching about a serious subject.
What can schools and libraries do to ensure a successful appearance?
The basics are always really important: good organization and planning, as well as a set-up where I can be easily seen and heard. Communication is also key on both sides so that all of us know what to expect. I prefer speaking to groups of less than 100 because as size grows, the interactive format becomes less possible. Speaking to writing classes or students simply interested in writing is particularly great.
Do you enjoy traveling to other parts of the country for appearances?
I love it, so long as someone's willing to get me there and help get me around! I have a terrible sense of direction.
Do you ever make appearances at more than one school in an area? Could schools and libraries from one area join together to bring you to their institution?
I've done multiple visits within a district and have had various combinations of bookstores, school districts, and libraries work together to set up events. I have no problem with any of it.
What do you hope your audience will come away with from your presentation?
I hope they'll come away with a better sense of who I am and what it's like to write as a fulltime job. There are so many misconceptions about authors and the whole art of writing, so I enjoy illuminating those areas—and maybe help people with their own writing along the way.
What was your favorite appearance experience?
One of my very favorite visits was at a private high school in New York City where I had lunch with about ten girls in a classroom. We pulled our desks up in a circle, and I talked to them about what I did and was also able to get to know them individually. We discussed their writing and reading interests, and I was able to offer a lot of advice unique to their situations. The casual, interactive setting made it really fun, and I had a great time discussing everything from genre fiction to banned classics.
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