Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why (Razorbill, 2007) loves making school and library appearances. He will also help organize meaningful programs if he can't be there in person. Look below for a note from Jay and a Q&A about his appearances..and non-appearances. To bring Thirteen Reasons Why to your classroom or book club, download a Thirteen Reasons Why Educator's Guide. Also check out the Thirteen Reasons Why website at www.thirteenreasonswhy.com.

If you are interested in having Jay Asher visit your school or library, please use the online request form or email the Author Appearance Coordinator at authorvisits[at]us.penguingroup.com with possible dates, your school name, location, details about the day, and your contact information.

 

A Note From Jay Asher:

When I wrote Thirteen Reasons Why, I felt confident that teens would understand and appreciate the ideas I wanted to talk about in the book. And I've received many inspiring letters from readers saying it made them more conscious of how they treat others, as well as the importance of really reaching out when they need help and not simply dropping hints. With adults, my fingers were crossed that they would see this as an opportunity to begin a dialogue with teens about some important issues. Thankfully, they've jumped at the chance. It's been wonderful to hear about some of the conversations that have started. Of course, simply hearing that they loved the book is great, too!

—Jay Asher

 

Author Appearance Q&A with Jay Asher:

Penguin: What is a typical appearance like with you?

Jay: I try to make it a lot of fun. I use a Powerpoint presentation to show my journey as a writer. They'll see a comic strip I wrote when I was 13, excerpts from early rejection letters of Thirteen Reasons Why, photos of actual places which inspired scenes in the book, and even a shot of me dressed as a saloon girl (it was for a writing conference and I won first place!).

Penguin: I bet a lot of people, because of the subject matter of your book, expect you to be somewhat melancholy.

Jay: I've heard that. In my presentations, we do discuss the serious aspects of my book, and I discuss my own family's experience with suicide. But I wrote Thirteen Reasons Why as a suspense novel, so the message never got too heavy, and I try to keep my presentations entertaining for the same reason.

Penguin: What do you hope teens will come away with from your presentation?

Jay: It took me a long time to sell my first book, mostly because it took me years to find my own style. So perseverance is definitely something I discuss. There were also plenty of lessons I learned along the way, such as how to accept criticism...and how to have fun amidst rejection!

Penguin: Do you enjoy traveling to other parts of the country for appearances?

Jay: That's been one of the coolest perks to being an author. I've been to cities I probably never would've gotten around to visiting if I hadn't been invited to speak. And I always try to squeak in an extra day to act like a tourist.

Penguin: Do you ever make appearances at more than one school in an area? Could schools and libraries from one area join together to bring you to their institution?

Jay: Absolutely. Budgets for author visits can be tight, so I do whatever I can to make it work and give them their money's worth. But aside from that, I just really enjoy getting the chance to talk to and meet my readers in person, so I'll speak till I'm hoarse.

Penguin: Do you enjoy making appearances for adult audiences?

Jay: Most of my appearances for adults have been at writing conferences. I've given presentations on topics such as creating a buzz even before you sell a book and how to inject suspense into any type of novel. But I get a lot of adults coming to my regular author visits, and they seem to enjoy it as much as the teens.

Penguin: Could you tell us more about your non-appearance author visits?

Jay: The idea began in an after school book club in Alabama, but has now been used in schools, bookstores, and libraries across the country. I provide them with free bookmarks, autographed bookplates, a copy of the Chamber of Commerce map mentioned in the book, and an audiocassette of me answering their submitted questions. Oftentimes, their discussions will end with a crisis hotline worker or teen psychologist discussing the issues presented in the book, which makes it a very positive experience.

 

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Do you have questions about an author visit or comments about this page? Please contact the author appearance coordinator.