Tammi Sauer, Children’s Book Author

“Sauer's COWBOY CAMP is a simple, clever tale that promises to be a crowd-pleaser.”

—Booklist

COWBOY CAMP

2006 Oklahoma Book Award Finalist

Author of the following:

COWBOY CAMP (Sterling Publishing, 2005)

NO BALONEY! (Dutton Children’s Books, 2009)

LAUNCH TIME! (Dutton Children’s Books, Forthcoming)

CHICKEN DANCE! (Sterling Publishing, 2009)

YUCKY VALENTINES (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, Forthcoming) 

PRINCESS-IN-TRAINING (Harcourt, Forthcoming) 

PRESENTATIONS:

Tammi offers fun, engaging, and informative presentations for children and adults at schools, libraries, bookstores, book festivals, and conferences. Tammi is able to present to groups of up to 150 students, but she prefers to keep the size down to allow for a more personal experience. To schedule a visit and/or signing, please email tksauer@aol.com. For further information, check out Tammi’s web site at www.tammisauer.com.

 
Title:  Shazam! A Writer's "Magic"
Audience:  grades k-1
Length of Talk:  25 minutes
(This presentation can be adapted for preschoolers and runs 20 minutes.)

Tammi will engage students in some silly audience participation, share COWBOY CAMP, and perform magic tricks to illustrate where she gets her ideas and how she shapes a great idea into story.

Title:  Yeehaw! Behind-the-Scenes of a Writer
Audience: grades 2-4
Length of Talk:  40-50 minutes

Tammi will share a PowerPoint presentation that includes some weird and funny facts about herself as well as her book COWBOY CAMP. She will also perform magic tricks to illustrate where she gets her ideas and how she shapes ideas into stories.  In addition, she will take the students through an interactive, behind-the-scenes look at getting a story published which involves a quick trip to Tammi’s version of The Oprah Winfrey Show. A question and answer time will follow.

Title:  Shhh! Tammi's Top Ten Writing Secrets
Audience: grades 4-5
Length of Talk:  50 minutes

In a funny and informative way, Tammi will share her top ten writing secrets, encourage audience participation, and lead students in something Hollywood-style. A question and answer time will follow.

 
Title:  Frankenstein Time! Building a Character
Audience: grades 3-5
Length of Talk: 50 minutes
(This presentation works best with groups of 20 or fewer students.)

Tammi will share ways to recognize and create characters that stick with readers. She will share examples of great characters, lead the group in creating a character together and in creating characters on their own, invite these characters to a made up version of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and end with something mysterious. A question and answer time will follow.

      *Tammi is also willing to tailor a presentation to meet your specific needs.*

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• a table to set up books and props
• a cart for her laptop and projector
• a screen
• an overhead projector (for back up)
• an extension cord
• microphone (clip-on)
• CD player
• water

FEES:

One presentation: $300

Half-day fee (two presentations): $400

Full-day fee for Oklahoma schools (three or four presentations): $500
(plus travel expenses: $.50/mile for schools outside the Edmond/OKC area)

Full-day fee for out-of-state schools (three or four presentations): $750
(plus travel expenses: airfare, hotel, cabfare, and meals)

              TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL VISIT:

1. Prepare students for the author visit by sharing COWBOY CAMP with them. Copies are available at Best of Books, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn Kids, and online.

2. Consider making the author visit a COWBOY DAY for the school. Encourage students, faculty, and staff to gussy up like cowpokes for the day (hats, bandanas, chaps, you-name-it). Bring in cowboy artifacts to display around the school (hay bales, horse shoes, saddles, posters, banners, etc.). Serve up cowboy grub at lunch. Anything goes! STRETCH your imagination! Make the event memorable for students!

3. Encourage students to prepare questions ahead of time. Have each student bring a question to the place of the author visit.

4. Consider doing a classroom activity that ties into the book. Examples include the following:  illustrate a favorite scene, make a class collage, act out a scene, make a diorama, or create a Wanted Poster. Have the projects on display when the author visits.

5. Allow at least fifteen minutes between presentations so that the author has time to regroup and set up her materials.

6. Consider holding a school drawing or a guess-the-number of beans in a jar. Offer some cowboy-like prizes (can of beans, bandana, cowboy hat, copy of COWBOY CAMP).

7. Send out order forms three weeks before the visit (sample form can be found in the School Visits section on www.tammisauer.com) and send out reminder pre-order forms a couple of days before the order form due date (sample form can be found at www.tammisauer.com). On the due date, contact Tammi by phone (405.844.6870) and let her know how many books to order.

8. Set aside an hour or more for the author to sign books (only books will be signed). She will need someone to collect order forms and money in advance, feed her books as she signs, and distribute the books to the correct classrooms.

9. Make sure Tammi has a contact person at your school. The contact person should serve as the go-between, send out forms and keep track of orders, and arrange the author visit schedule.

10. Please email Tammi if you have questions or comments at tksauer@aol.com.