School visits and events

Rhiannon has been working with schools since she started writing professionally - only a couple of years after leaving school herself. Rhiannon has opened libraries (at Leighton Park school in Reading and Channing school in Highgate, London), given talks about her life as a writer and conducted workshops for groups of students.

Talks

Rhiannon is available to give a variety of talks on books and the book world including:

  • How I became a writer

    This is the story of how Rhiannon first became a published writer and her journey so far. Each book is discussed in order with anecdotes of meeting editors, agreeing on covers, and personal details about how publishing works and the day-to-day working life of a professional writer.
    This talk is adapted for different age groups and can last from forty minutes to an hour and twenty minutes. It is followed by a question and answer session.

  • Wanting to live in the library

    How Rhiannon skipped school and hid in a library every day for six months until her parents found out, what happened next and Rhiannon's relationship with books and libraries since.

  • The edge of the possible

    A discussion of how science fiction attempts to break barriers, open new territories and raises the issues of today through the lens of tomorrow.

Workshops

The Patchwork Kingdom workshop

Rhiannon and a group of students are the architects of a new world. Everyone will bring a character and place to the world and link them together to form a patchwork map of imagined places: cities, castles, forests, deserts and undersea kingdoms. In writing, talking, drawing and debating, the students will play the roles of characters from the new bordering nations to create narratives with their neighbours: stories of introductions, trades, conflicts, resolutions.

Structure: This course is intended for 15-25 students working as a single group. It falls into several sections:

  • Creating Characters (students discuss character ideas with Rhiannon and draw and write about their characters)
  • Mapping the Patchwork Kingdom (everyone draws a map of their section on a page of coloured paper and then work with Rhiannon to stick the patchwork together according to pre-agreed rules)
  • Personalities of the Patchwork: (discussion of trades, alliances and rivalries, conflicts, Victories and defeats, ways to work out problems)
  • Tales of the Patchwork Kingdoms (talk about stories followed by group writing session in which students work in groups to write a short story about their characters)
  • The Patchwork future (Decisions about the future of the world, awards and prizes for participation)

Spaceships and Otherworlds

A day of linked discussion and drama workshops, for two groups running in tandem. This event encourages two groups to discuss and dramatise the situation of a spaceship arriving on an alien world. Structure: This course is intended for 20-30 students divided into two groups, and is given by Rhiannon working with an additional author or assistant. It typically lasts a day and involves four sessions. The students are divided into two groups: the spaceship crewmembers and the planet-dwelling aliens. Once roles have been assigned the two groups run in parallel, with Rhiannon and another author (or assistant) alternating between the two groups. Two societies are established: the high-tech society of the spaceship crew and the agricultural society of the otherworld dwellers. As the groups draw together, they must negotiate a compromise between their very different peoples, brokered by representatives nominated by each group.

Learning outcomes: This course is ideal for students and staff with an interest in conflict resolution, the tensions between agricultural and technological societies and other related subjects. It involves negotiation skills, the philosophies of conflict and trade and factors that contribute to war and peace.

Readings, signings and other events

Rhiannon also offers readings from her books at bookshops, libraries, schools and other events. These can be followed by a book signing session.

Books can be supplied via publishers for sale or return if this is arranged in advance. Events of this kind are expected to last an hour unless otherwise specified.

Rhiannon Lassiter is also available to speak at conferences and panel discussions. Previous events include EasterCon, Oxford conferences, Writing the Future Red. Please contact Rhiannon to discuss further details of this kind of event.

Book Rhiannon for a visit

If you're an educator or librarian who'd like to find out more about Rhiannon Lassiter or book her for a visit or event please contact Rhiannon to email her about your needs.

Please include your location, when you'd like to have the event, the age range of the students and the group size.


Rhiannon's PDFs and links

Contact

Contact Rhiannon to book a visit

Prices

Rhiannon's costs are the society of authors recommended rates of £350 for a day and £250 for a half day, plus expenses; or a fee of £150 for an hour long session for visiting a local school or carrying out a number of separate visits to schools in the same area. Longer engagements, such as a residency for a week or a month, require individual discussion.

Example session Cost
Hour visit: talk and questions £150
Half day visit: talk/s, questions, book signing £250
Day visit workshops and/or multiple talks and questions, book signing £350

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