Author Visits & Appearances

I love sharing my books with kids, talking about writing and revision strategies, and answering all the thoughtful and surprising questions they ask about writing and bookmaking.

I offer both in-person and virtual visits. Virtual visits are hosted via your school-hosted platform (Zoom, Google Classrom, or other). Need funding? Check out this list of funding sources for school visits.

I offer occasional FREE story time visits to newsletter subscribers, including World Read Aloud Day and several other opportunities during the school year. Sign up here!

Click here to contact me for more information, to customize a presentation, or schedule a visit.

Presentations for Students​

Virtual Story Time + Author Q&A

I will read one book of your choice aloud with your group and then take 10 minutes for questions and answers.

  • 20 minutes
  • All grade levels, ideal for PreK-3
  • Any group size, ideal for 1-6 classrooms at a time
  • $75
  • Add-on interactive drawing/group art activity for Dozens of Doughnuts – Design a Doughnut (+20 minutes) +$35

In-Person Story Time + Author Q&A

I will read a book of your choice aloud with your group, share a little about how I wrote the story and the publishing process, and then have time for questions and answers.

  • 30 minutes
  • All grade levels, ideal for PreK-3
  • Any group size
  • Single presentation (in-person, local): $150
  • Additional same-day presentations: $75

Revision with Extra Sprinkles

“Good stories are not written. They are rewritten.” In this presentation, I’ll talk about the process of publishing a picture book from idea to publication with a special emphasis on revision, focusing on how a single page of Dozens of Doughnuts changed throughout both the writing and illustration process.

  • 45-60 minutes
  • Ideal for grades 2-5
  • Any group size – ideal for 20-60
  • Single presentation: $350 (in-person, local)/ $250 (virtual)
  • Additional same-day presentations: $200

Revision Workshop Add-On

For classes who have watched my revision presentation, I’ll take a deep dive into revision with hands-on, interactive examples that we’ll revise together with a variety of revision strategies (can be customized).

  • 30-45 minutes
  • Ideal for grades 2-5
  • Single classroom
  • $150

Doughnuts + Math = Fun

I will read Dozens of Doughnuts aloud with your group, then explore the math in the story in a grade-level appropriate and interactive way (can be customized) and then take 10 minutes for questions and answers.

  • 45-60 minutes
  • Ideal for grades 1-3
  • Single classroom
  • $350 (in-person, local)/$250 (virtual)

Non-local rates

Local rates listed above for in-person visits apply to any school or library within a 1.5 hour drive of Arlington, Mass. For non-local visits requiring more extensive travel, overnight stays, etc., my fees are as follows:

  • First presentation: $800
  • Additional presentations: $350 (up to 3 total presentations per day at one or multiple schools)
  • Travel expenses will be estimated and broken out in a separate charge.

Contact me to create a combination of presentations that works for your school or group.

Public Library Events and Story Times

I’m happy to visit public libraries for story times, or other events for ages 2 and up. Library events I’ve done in the past have included book readings, doughnuts and doughnut crafts (library-provided), and I always bring my large stuffed LouAnn bear for kids to meet and take photos with.

  • Local rate: $125 (within 1 hour drive of Arlington, Mass.)
  • Non-local rate: Please contact me

Conferences and Festivals

I’m available to speak at educator conferences, writer conferences, and book festivals, and am happy to pull together panel presentations with other authors. Some of my past presentations include:

  • Big Laughs (and Little Life Lessons) in Picture Books (panel)
  • STEAMing Up Children’s Books (panel)
  • Soaring Into Marketing with a Debut Group (panel)
  • Get Started in Children’s Magazine Writing
  • Rhyme It Right: A Workshop for Writers

“Carrie Finison is a talented author and presenter who relates very well to young students. In October, Carrie read her book Dozens of Doughnuts for K-3 students during Mass STEM Week 2021. The entire time she had dozens of students engaged in both the story itself and the fun questions she asked wrapped in Maths concepts aligned with students’ lessons at the time. Mass STEM Week is a special time for presenting events to engage and excite students about STEM, allowing them to see themselves in STEM even more. Carrie’s event did just that.” [Grades K-3]

—Heather D., STEM Programs Manager, Metro North STEM Network (Mass.)

“Carrie’s presentation was really excellent. It was great when she got the kids up and moving, a wonderful way to break through the Zoom wall.  Both the library media specialists and the classroom teachers loved her emphasis on finding and using stronger verbs. Her messages about revision were totally on point with what the teachers say every day.” [Grade 2]

—Caren Connelly, Executive Director, WFEE AuthorFest, Winchester, Mass.

“Our kindergarten and first grade students loved Dozens of Doughnuts. Carrie’s engaging read aloud, the beautiful drawn animal characters and topic of doughnuts drew the children in. The students especially loved being able to call out, “Ding-dong,” whenever a new animal friend arrived.

“Carrie also meaningfully engaged with our seventh graders by encouraging them to look at her work through their own writers’ eyes. As she led students through several iterations of her Dozens of Doughnuts drafts, she made side-by-side comparisons and explained the layers of meaning that go into a finished children’s book. They came away from the session with a newfound appreciation for the importance of critique groups and the process of revision; they’re even inspired, now, to write their own children’s books!” [Grades K-1 & Grade 7]

—Susan Jacoby, Librarian, Atrium School, Watertown, Mass.

“We enjoyed Carrie’s visits so much and appreciate her taking time out of her schedule to meet with us. It was a special day for our students and we’ve gotten so much positive feedback from teachers and students. Thanks, Carrie!” [Grades K-5]

—Carly Humphrey, Reading Specialist, Spruce Elementary School, South San Francisco USD, Calif.

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