“Visiting Schools”
I know, I know… it’s been said a hundred times before… One really great way to get kids in schools interested in reading is to invite some authors to come in and talk to them. But at the risk of beating a dead horse by raising this topic again for the hundred-and-first time, let me just say that one of my absolute favourite things in the world is visiting schools and talking about my books and how I ended up writing them.
When I visit schools I have a checklist of things that I always bring with me:
– Many copies of my books to give away. Check.
– Dragon of the Month Club membership cards to give away. Check.
– Trading cards for each of my books to give away. Check.
– Wristbands for my books to give away. Check.
– Pendants from designs from my books to give away. Check.
(As you can see, I always bring lots of stuff for giveaways. Kids love it.)
But even with all the free stuff the kids get I think the most memorable thing for them (although they never really show it – you know how kids are) is when the story in the books I’ve written actually take place right there in their own hometowns and neighbourhoods. One of my own most memorable visits was to a small school in rural Ireland where the kids were amazed to hear that one of the books in my Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency had several scenes that took place just a few miles away. And they couldn’t believe that the boring tiny little village where they lived was actually one of the most favourite places in all the world of some writer they never heard of from Canada.
On visits like these I always have a great time and so do the kids and teachers too. There are writers everywhere in the world. And writers tend to write what they know, so they’ve probably written something about every corner of the world where there’s a school. And I bet they’d love to come out and talk to students about their books.
And if not…. well, give me a call… maybe I’ll be in your corner of the world sometime and I can drop in and give away a bunch of stuff.
The Dragon Of The Month Club, by Iain Reading, was published in February 2015 and is available for sale.
Synopsis:
The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club – The Dragon of the Month Club.
On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons – not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.
But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler’s messy bedroom. Travelling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.
Drawing inspiration from some of literature’s most memorable stories – from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes’s London – the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.
Praise for The Dragon of the Month Club:
“No other book bonds together so many stories in such a fashion that is actually readable and enjoyable at the same time. With the title being The Dragon of the Month Club, many might think this is a book strictly about magic and dragons, yet you will find that what’s inside this book will leave you awe struck.” – Red City Reviews
“Iain Reading has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I started reading his Kitty Hawk books and now I’m introduced to a fantastical world. This is the type of book I would have spent hours in my room, wishing I could slip into the pages and have an adventure.” – Sandra Stiles
“The Dragon of the Month Club is a very enjoyable read. I’m a grown adult and I enjoyed it. It reminded me of a Harry Potter meets Goosebumps (the part where the books come alive) meets Sherlock Holmes. I found the book to be engaging and kept me wanting to read on. This is a wonderful series for any young reader.” – sgebhard
Contest:
There is an ongoing contest for readers to win a one-of-a-kind hardcover version of The Dragon of the Month Club with their artwork as the cover.
“Draw a picture! Write a story! Take a photograph! Bake some cookies! Mold a dragon out of clay! Knit one out of yarn! Make one out of LEGO! Whatever you want! Just let your imagination run wild because anything goes – the more creative the better! Send your dragon in and then on the 13th day of every month one entry will be chosen at random and featured on the official Dragon Of The Month Club website. Each month’s lucky winner will also receive a free one-of-a-kind personalized hard-cover edition of The Dragon Of The Month Club book featuring their winning artwork (or other creative content) on the cover or inside the book itself,” says Iain.
To learn more, go to http://www.dragonofthemonthclub.com/
About the Author:
Iain Reading is passionate about Root Beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian, but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations.
Iain writes middle grade and young adult books. His published works include the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, The Wizards of Waterfire Series, and the dragon of the month club. To learn more, go to http://www.amazon.com/Iain-Reading/e/B00B0NGI6Q/
Connect with Iain on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
**Thank you, Iain, for this fantastic post!**
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