Richard Scarsbrook Events

Take a WRITING COURSE
or a WORKSHOP
with RICHARD SCARSBROOK

WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS

at THE HUMBER SCHOOL FOR WRITERS

Wednesday Evenings

January 21 to March 25, 2009

at the beautiful Humber Lakeshore Campus
3199 Lakeshore Blvd. West

You know how important reading is to opening up your children's world - that's why you read them bedtime stories and then encourage them to read on their own as soon as they are able. So chances are, you have an idea for a children's story you want to write but aren't sure how to get started.

This course teaches you how to structure a children's book from picture books to young adult novels, develop plot, create characters that resonate and write dialogue that's real.

Register by clicking HERE!

EXPRESSIVE WRITING 1

at GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

St. James Campus
200 King Street East, Toronto

SATURDAY mornings, 9:30 to 12:30 AM
January 17 to April 18, 2009

In this introductory course, learn to write your story in your own words. Learn basic prose skills: honesty, clarity, simplicity, vividness and originality. Classes include lectures, seminars and individual instruction

To register for the course, click HERE!

Make sure you sign up for the SATURDAY course, CRN section W45482, if you want to take the course taught by Richard Scarsbrook!!!!!

CREATING SHORT STORIES 1

at GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

St. James Campus
200 King Street East, Toronto

Tuesday evenings, 6 to 9 PM
January 13 to March 31, 2009

Learn to write characters, action and setting, and discover the secrets to creating a great plot. This is a structured but fun class that teaches the fundamentals of fiction and gently guides you through the process of writing a short story.

To register for the course, click HERE!

CREATIVE WRITING KICKSTART

at THE HUMBER SCHOOL FOR WRITERS

A ONE-DAY WORKSHOP!

at the beautiful Humber Lakeshore Campus
3199 Lakeshore Blvd. West

Saturday, March 28, 2009

10 AM to 4 PM

This one-day workshop is designed for aspiring writers in all genres who want to kickstart the creative process with fun and thought-provoking writing exercises and techniques that access imagination and inner wisdom.

Register by clicking HERE!

PAST APPEARANCES and EVENTS

Richard has done readings of his fiction and poetry in Toronto at the 2007 International Reading Association Conference, Book Expo Canada 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, Word on the Street 2006, the Art Bar Readinbg Series, The Renaissance Cafe, Bar Italia, The Pagitica Reading Series, The Ontario Library Association's 2007 Media Breakfast and 2005 Superconference , Suburban Spoken Word , and at the kickoff ceremonies for ArtsWeek Toronto 2005. He was a featured author at George Brown College's 2006 and 2007 Spring Reading Event at Nicholas Hoare Bookstore. He has also made numerous appearances at various branches of the Toronto and Durham Region Public Libraries.

Events in other cities have included Words in Whitby, the Windsor Festival of the Book, the Book Keeper bookstore in Sarnia, the launch of The Saving Bannister poetry anthology in St. Catherines, the festive Stratford Book Festival , the beautiful and popular Eden Mills Writers Festival, and the Powell River Festival of Writers on the beautiful British Columbia Sunshine Coast.

In March 2007, Sint-Jozefsinstituut-College in Torhout, Belgium, chose Cheeseburger Subversive to transform into their annual dramatic production, which was performed six times in Belgium, and then twice in Great Britain. Check out the Cheeseburger Subversive: The Play website, designed and written by students involved in the production, or have a look at the page devoted to the play on this site.

In November 2005, Richard was selected to tour in the province of Manitoba (including Winnpeg, Thompson, Leaf Rapids, and Portage la Prairie) as part of the TD Canadian Children's Book Week Tour. Book Week offers the opportunity for authors and illustrators to reach over 50,000 children in schools and libraries across Canada every year. (Check out the details HERE)

In the months leading up to the announcement of the 2005 Ontario Library Association's White Pine Award, Richard appeared before hundreds of enthusiastic teen readers at White Pine Ceremonies for the York Region Board of Education, the Peterborough Separate and Kawartha Pine Ridge Boards of Education, as well as Fieldstone Day School and Listowel District Secondary School.

Richard has made many school and library appearances, including a series of readings at various venues for the Toronto Public Libraries,the Durham Public Libraries, and at various schools from one throughout Ontario and the rest of Canada.

From June to August 2004, Richard Scarsbrook joined forces with The CAN/AM Lit Jam for a reading/signing tour including Ann Arbor, Detroit, Chicago, Windsor, Sarnia and Toronto.

In August 2003, Richard Appeared on Here and Now on CBC Radio One to talk about Cheeseburger Subversive with host Avril Benoit. In February 2007, Richard was a guest on CBC Radio One's Freestyle with hosts Marsha Lederman and Cameron Phillips, to talk about the Belgian stage adaptation of Cheeseburger Subversive, and the book's sequel, Featherless Bipeds.

Booking SCHOOL and LIBRARY APPEARANCES

Richard Scarsbrook is booking NOW for school and library appearances in 2008/2009. He has over fifteen years teaching experience, and can present on a variety of writing-related topics to groups of varying size and age.

Funding assistance is available through The Writers' Union of Canada Writers in the Schools Program, as well as throught The Canada Council for the Arts Readings Program.

Here is what teachers and librarians have to say about Ruchard Scarsbrook's presentations:

"Richard Scarsbrook's presentation at York Region District's White Pine Celebration was fantastic. He captured and held the attention of some 400 high school students as he told us about his life as an author and read from his thoroughly entertaining book Cheeseburger Subversive. Some students commented that they could even see this book adapted as a Hollywood movie. Highly recommended!"

Rob Baxter, Teacher-Librarian, York Region District School Board

"Richard. . . toured schools and libraries. .. for TD Canadian Children�s Book Week. Without any hesitation, I can say Richard was a huge success with students and teachers alike. I was amazed at his ability to make each of his presentations fresh and dynamic. . . Richard has a real passion for writing. He also has an excellent rapport with students. I recommend him to you without reservation."

Collene Ferguson, Manitoba Regional Officer, Canadian Children�s Book Centre

"(Richard's) sense of humour was a real hit with the students. I really appreciated the fact that Richard encourages youth to share their talents and provides useful constructive feedback. "

Elsa Ngan, Librarian, Toronto Public Library

EMAIL to reserve a booking!