Kathy prefers to limit audience size to 40-50 for primary grades, so they can see the illustrations in the books and to give them the chance to interact with her and the others in the group. For junior or intermediate, where the visual element is less important and attention span a little longer, audience size can be 60, or whatever fits comfortably into the library or classroom space.
Each session runs approximately 45 minutes. With very young audiences the time is likely to be shorter; with older audiences a session may run longer. Two sessions in a half day (or 3 or 4 in a full day) is ideal.
The cost for each session is $250 + HST ($350 + HST if booking a single session), payable at the time of the visit. Costs of travel (at $.40/km) and accommodation, if needed, should also be factored in. Partial funding may be available for readings booked through The Writers’ Union of Canada.
If you are a public library, it may be possible to obtain funding through the Canada Council. The fee for Canada Council readings is $250. Canada Council also pays the cost of travel, so this is the best way for communities outside of southern Ontario to arrange for readings. Once Canada Council has paid the way to get Kathy to an area, schools are often interested in taking advantage of her availability. For this reason, it’s great if public libraries and schools can work together in planning an author visit.
