Author Visits
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Contact Information

I enjoy doing a number of author visits each year.  I am in central Massachusetts during the late spring, summer, and early fall, and in Arizona during the late fall, winter, and early spring.  Please e-mail me about availability.  Books for author visits may be ordered from a local vendor or by e-mailing Peachtree Publishers.

 

Current Rates

For student audiences, I will do up to three presentations in any one day.  Rates are negotiable, depending on a variety of circumstances, including required travel.

  

 

For kids:

  GOOD GRIEF: What We All Need to Know about Loss and Grief

With input from the training director of the American Hospice Foundation, I use transparencies (or Power Point) to share my loss and grief recovery experience that led to the creation of GIVING UP THE GHOST, as well as things kids (and adults) need to know about loss and grief.

        Intended for Grades 5-9.  Length of talk: One hour.

Online "Loss and Grief" handouts, including a Student Loss Inventory for adults and a Wordfind and Crossword Puzzle for kids, are available here.

NEW!

For adults:

GOOD GRIEF: How to Talk to A Child about Death     

In this Power Point presentation, I talk about the inspiration for ZAYDE COMES TO LIVE--and to a lesser degree, GIVING UP THE GHOST--and share with adults suggestions for having a conversation with children about the end of life.  I close with a reading of ZAYDE COMES  TO LIVE and usually a discussion in which people feel moved to share their own experiences with loss and grief.  (45 minutes to an hour)

             Intended for adult audiences--teachers, bereavement counselors and volunteers, librarians, parents. 

 

Recommendations:

"Sheri spoke today at our Sisterhood Opening Program and all of our guests felt enriched by listening to her personal journey and what she learned along the way. Her talk was superb; she educated us thoughtfully on proper ways to discuss death with children, never an easy topic for anyone. Everyone who attended today truly enjoyed listening to and learning from all that Sheri shared. Her Power Point presentation was well thought out, full of useful information, and afterwards our guests were eager to buy her books.

Working with Sheri to plan this event was wonderful. She was extremely helpful each step of the way. Her timeliness, attention to details, knowledge of publicity, and helpful suggestions made the planning process so easy.

Unfortunately, all of us have to deal with death along the way. We realized we aren't alone, and that we share these same fears, questions, and concerns. Sheri gave us the tools for having this difficult conversation, and showed respect for different religious beliefs about the afterlife. Many people shy away from talking about death, but Sheri handled this with grace."

Lisa Rosenstock, Sisterhood President

Temple Beth El, Madison, WI

 

"I felt Sheri Sinykin's program to be very educational. It's too late for me with my kids, but I plan on using the things I learned with my grandchildren. My parents never discussed death, and when I lost a close friend at a young age, I did not know how to deal with it or his family, so I avoided them and my own feelings. To this day I regret that. Had I had the knowledge that it is best to be up front and open regarding your feelings, I would feel a lot better about it today."

Steve Willens
Chief Executive Officer
Jewish Healthcare Center Campus
JHC HomeCare and Hospice

Eisenberg Assisted Living Residence
629 Salisbury Street
Worcester, Mass. 01609
www.jewishhealthcarecenter.com

"Sheri Sinykin provided an engaging presentation of how she came to write Zayde Comes to Live, and a stimulating reading. Also, and very importantly, she created a safe and encouraging environment in which to share personal stories of grief. She gently invited audience participation on a topic that is rarely discussed in a group setting, but, judging from the overwhelmingly positive response she received, is of much interest. I felt that our listeners came away with more than they expected from a children's book reading. On a personal note, my elderly mother is soon to move in with my family. When I explained this, a little nervously, to my seventeen-year-old daughter, who had attended Sheri's talk, she smiled, nodded, and said, "Ah, Zayde Comes to Live"!" --Sue Stern, Sisterhood President, B'nai Shalom of Putnam, CT

"I was privileged to be at Sheri's book launch last night at the Corbin (Webster, MA) Public Library.  Her presentation for adults on talking with children about the death of a loved one is terrific - she shares her own losses as the impetus for the book and offers wonderfully child-sensitive approaches to the often uncomfortable topic of death.  As good and helpful as is her presentation, the star of the show is her book - Zayde Comes to Live.  The illustrations perfectly suit the gentle, loving text, remarkable for its particularly Jewish response to the topic.  Kudos, Sheri!"  Sarah Lamstein

 

"Sheri's Power Point presentation begins with a beautiful parable depicting the cycle of life.  She then shares with the audience how she became a hospice volunteer, faced the death of her parents, and came to write this books.  She continues with a section that instructs adults how to help the children they love deal with the prospect of a loved one's death.  With her reading of ZAYDE COMES TO LIVE, I looked about the room and saw that healing tears were shed by many.  I truly feel this gorgeous book transcends Jewish audiences.  These words will resonate with me for a long time to come:  "Breathing in, breathing out, together, for as long as we can."  If every parent sat with their child and read ZAYDE COME TO LIVE, both parent and child would be enriched by its content and exquisite illustrations by Kristina Swarner.  As a former educator, I highly recommend Sheri's Power Point presentation, "GOOD GRIEF:  How to Talk to Your Child about Death." Susan Chlapowski, former third grade teacher, Massachusetts.

 

 

 

 

Other Programs:    

Writing a Scene: LIVE!

            Students star in an impromptu drama--using props and costumes--where they create two characters that "bump into each other."  The resulting scene draws all students into a lively question-and-answer session that models and reinforces such writing terms as character, motivation, point of view, conflict, sensory details, back story, and "show don't tell."  Also stresses tips for writing the first draft and for revision, as well as the power of rejection and holding on to one's dreams.

            Length of talk:  45-60 minutes, with questions. Recommended for 3rd through 5th graders.

  Click here to see what teachers say about WRITING A SCENE: LIVE!

 

For Kids and Teachers:  Click here to see a handout on "How to Write A Scene" as well as the "Reader's Report" that I use in teaching peer editing.

 

General Presentation/Book Talk

            Using a variety of colorful visual aids and transparencies, I will speak to large groups of children--preferably in grades 3-7--about my new book, the writing process, and where I "get my ideas," including specific and useful tips for young writers.  

            Length of talk: 45-60 minutes, with questions.

Small Group Workshops

            For a class-sized group or fewer motivated young writers

            In "Fueling Fiction with Emotion," I use visual imagery to create scenes that have emotion at their core.  The concept of "show don't tell" is introduced, as well as the idea of writing in vivid scenes.  The importance of feeling one's feelings--both in life and in one's writing--is stressed.  Participants have time to write and read their work.

            In "Characters Make Your Story," I lead the class in a group exercise, creating a character on the overhead projector.  All students join in the discussion, which prompts ideas about "what the story is" and where it might begin.  Students can then write opening scenes, using the newly created character.

            Length of workshop: 60-90 minutes (depending on whether  writing time is included)

Teacher In-services

            I enjoy working with teachers on ways to help students write fiction--a true creative problem solving discipline.  Topics might include generating ideas, creating characters, writing in scenes, writing dialogue, and revising first drafts.

 

         

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