This document discusses the benefits of hosting local author visits at schools. Local author visits are more cost effective than bringing in national authors. They can speak to smaller audiences and do not require travel reimbursement. Local authors may also be able to connect their stories to the local community or region in a more meaningful way for students. The document provides examples of potential local authors that could visit schools and the curricular connections their work has. It also lists some funding sources and a book festival event where students could meet authors.

1. Supporting Local Isn’t Just for agriculture! Melissa Williams Tiffany Johnson

2. Why go Local? Convenience Supporting the community Cost Greener Living Community development Support local economy

3. The Benefits of Author Visits and School Libraries Give students a live experience with someone who writes or illustrates books Real world experience Learn from someone other than their teacher Gets kids excited about reading Helps kids connect to stories in a more meaningful way

4. The Added Benefits of Local Author Visits Cost Effective Remind students: Authors are everywhere Stories with recognizable settings

5. Budget Considerations Author fee Travel and accommodations fee * Publicity Developing the collection to include more books by this author* Books to sell for autographing Staff Time * Ways that local authors can save you “green!”

6. Sample Budget Comparison Robert J. Blake (local) Requested Honorarium- $1,500 3 presentations a day PowerPoint presentation Willing to travel Will speak to any age, preferred audience size is 125 but will speak to larger or smaller Roland Smith Author fee- $5,000 per day 4 presentations a day PowerPoint presentation Pays own travel, hotel and food Speaks to any age or size

7. Funding Community Support Community Sponsors Grants School funding PTO/PTA Specific Fundraiser: Book sale or book fair, car wash, after school party, pot luck school meal before another event, t-shirt sales

8. Southern Festival of Books Can’t bring an author to you kids? Bring your kids to the authors! October 14-16 Legislative Plaza Downtown, Nashville, TN Authors: Nashville’s own Ann Patchett, T.A. Barron, Chris Bohjalian, Pseudonymous Bosch, Charles Frazier, Walter Mosley, Tom Perrotta and MANY more!

9. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS by Local Authors!

10. Lynne Berry Curricular Connections Rhyming Stay Active/Exercise

11. Robert J. Blake Curricular connections History Geography Animals

12. Susan Eaddy Curricular connections Art Animals

13. CandieMoonshower Curricular Connections Tennessee History Tennessee Geography Native American Stories

14. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb Curricular Connections Poetry- Walt Whitman History Astronomy Theater Economics Media- Language Arts

15. Kristin O’DonellTubb Curricular Connections History State Parks Families

16. Donna Getzinger Curricular connections History Social Conflicts

17. Wilmoth Foreman Curricular connections Life choices

18. Tracy Barrett Curricular connections History Myths Literature- Epic Poems

19. Ron Kidd Curricular connections History Music Social Conflicts

20. Bethany Griffin Curricular connections YA Novel Literature Circles

21. Sources and Additional resources Website for Tennessee and Kentucky Authors: http://www.scbwi-midsouth.org/ Roland Smith http://www.rolandsmith.com/ Robert J. Blake http://www.robertjblake.com/