A.J. Stern is the author of the Frankly, Frannie series. She lives in an upside-down house in Brooklyn, New York. She has fifteen children under the age of eleven who all have very good jobs. She rides to work on a horse and only eats food that is orange. Okay, none of this is true (except the Brooklyn part), but it would be a little funny if it were. Right?

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If you are interested in hosting an appearance by A.J. Stern at your school, library, or conference, please use the online request form or send an email to authorvisits[at]us.penguingroup.com with possible dates, your school name, location, details about the day, and your contact information

 

Author Appearance Q&A with A.J. Stern:

What can a school, library, or conference expect when you are making an appearance? What do you do differently with audiences of varying sizes, ages, and interests?

My talks are very interactive. I include my audience, no matter the size, in a light-spirited, but focused conversation. Because I am a former comic, I use a lot of humor with the kids, showing them through active good cheer, a new point of view in which to view writing. I try to illustrate the amazing personal rewards of story telling, of getting lost in a fictional world, and I do that by allowing them to participate in my writing process.

What makes your author appearances unique?

When I was a kid I had an extremely hard time learning. The way I was being taught was anathema to my learning style, which is experiential. I need to get inside of a situation, I need to walk through it, in order to truly understand it. In many ways, my appearances are geared toward the experiential learner. Each book in the "Frankly, Frannie" series is based on a job, and I pretend, with each new audience of children, that I am stuck for job ideas and I need their help. Once we have the job, I push them forward, telling them what needs to happen next, and I ask them how to get us there. I use the best of their answers and guide them, without their awareness, through the plotting of an entire book. Several times along the way, I stop to recap what has occurred in our story, what is occurring and then prod them for the next steps by telling them what needs to occur. My favorite part is watching their expressions when I tell them in the very end, that they have just written an entire book.

Do you enjoy making appearances for adult audiences? What do you do when presenting to adults?

Yes, I love talking to any audience. For adults, I cater my talks to the specifications of the group. There isn't a set template that I use as a starting point, like there is for my kids events.

What can schools and libraries do to ensure a successful appearance?

Ideally, the children have either read, or been read, a chapter or two of the first book in the series. If they've read the entire book, or series, that's even better. The more I know about the group, the better. I've talked to extremely underprivileged students and incredibly advantaged children and knowing that in advance was exceptionally helpful. I also like to know if the kids are rowdy or behaviorally challenged in any way. The more I can know about my audience, the better. If there is a special signal teachers give their students to calm down, I would like to know the signal in advance. I don't want to feel alienated from the kids and I don't want them to feel alienated from me. I like to be on the same page as they are right from the start.

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

Yes, I love it.

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?

Yes, I often go to two schools in one area. Three would be the most I could do in a day. As far as combinations go, at Politics and Prose in DC, Gussie (my point person there) brought in three schools for one talk and it worked really well and was a lot of fun.

What do you hope your audience will come away with from your presentation?

I give the kids some really key advice about writing and life (advice I give to adults as well) and I hope that they take what I tell them to heart. It's also my hope that through the experience they had with me, they learn how to bring themselves through forthcoming situations and materials with empathy and a new point of view. I hope that they walk away learning how to cultivate and nurture their imagination and that they understand that writing is a way to foster the connection you have between heart and your imagination. It's a private world that's all yours and no one can ever take it away from you. It would be a shame not to explore what lurks there.

What was your favorite/most interesting/most memorable [choose one] appearance experience?

The best moment for me was at Politics & Prose when I asked the kids to help me think of new jobs for Frannie. I called on a little boy in the back and he said, "Furrier. She should be a furrier." That was pretty hilarious.

 

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