Speaker Profile - Alma Fullerton

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Bio:
Alma Fullerton was born in Ottawa Ontario Canada. She grew up in a large military family and has lived in various cities in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Germany. Alma struggled with reading and instead memorized most things, until the age of nine when with the help of her grade four teacher, she realized she had dyslexia. By grade nine Alma loved reading. She now lives in Prince Edward Island with her husband. Her 12 first books have been nominated and/or have won over two dozen awards including the Governor General Finalist 2008, TD Canadian Children's Literature Award finalist 2009, 2011 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award winner 2009, CLA Children's Book of the Year Honor Book 2009, 2011 Golden Oak Award winner 2009, Once Upon a World Children's Book Award Winner - 2009, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award shortlist - 2010, SilverBirch Award shortlist -2010 Bank Street College Best Children's Books 2009, 2014, Blue Spruce Award 2014, Kentucky BlueGrass Award 2014/15, Marilyn Baillie Picture book award honour, plus many more.

Presentation Description:

I am able to adjust my presentations to best fit the children or adults I'm speaking to.

Young children presentation

An interactive readings of one or both of my picture books, and role play having children take turns lifting a water jug (A Good Trade), discussing planting gardens, fetching water,  taking care of animals and other things children in other countries may do that Canadian children won’t have to, and the illustrations process of Community Soup. This can be done in a 60 minute presentation or two 30 minute presentations.

From a non-reader into a reader 

Her personal journey from being a dyslexic non-reader who was told she'd never graduate to becoming an award winning author. 45 minutes including a reading and a 15 minute question period.

The story behind the story - How my books came to be

Consists of a reading and then I tell the process of how books become books from idea to finished book. Powerpoint presentation showing the illustration process.

45 minutes with a 15 minute question period.

An Author's Career

The ups and downs of being an author. What do authors do during the day? How much do we get paid? How do we deal with rejection and revision? And believing in yourself. 45 minutes with a 15 minute question period.

Workshops for children or adults

Show Don't Tell

Through a series of guided writing exercises and group sharing, students learn how to enhance their own natural writing talents and improve their creative work by using revealing detail (1 hour with one or two classes at a time).

Breathing Life into your Characters

An hour-long workshop on character development and how to make your characters real. With tips and character sketch worksheets.

Letting the Dominoes fall

An hour-long workshop on setting up stories so they run smoothly beginning to end.