Marty Chan

Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that young adult author and playwright, Marty Chan, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year.   

Marty would love to plan a visit to your school or library in 2009.  His rate is $262.50 per session, plus $75 per session toward his expenses. His half-day rate (2 sessions or 1 writing workshop) is $420 plus $75 toward his expenses.

Marty won the Diamond Willow Award (The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul). He’s also been nominated for the Arthur Ellis, R. Ross Annett, Golden Eagle Children’s Choice, and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards. His play, The Forbidden Phoenix, will be running at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (Toronto) in February 2009. His bibliography and details of his presentation follow this message. 

Here’s what Margaret Kirkpatrick, Supervising Librarian (Children’s) of the Ottawa Public Library, Carlingwood Branch has to say about this author:

“Marty was delightful in every way. He was a treat to host. He was prepared. He was 'low stress'. The only things he had asked for were a bottle of water, and a table, and then he brought his own water! He did an hour presentation on his three books (OPL only has the first one, but I know the circ stats will climb now). He was a storyteller in his presentation. He was charming, witty, and humorous. He told stories that had to do with the books. His delivery was great, and he had everyone in the audience laughing at appropriate times. The audience was spellbound. Marty Chan was a success. Truly a hidden gem. We have all benefited from hearing him speak.” 

Time slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, so please respond early if you are interested in booking Marty Chan.  

Published Works:

The Mystery of the Mad Science Teacher, 2008

The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul, 2006

The Mystery of the Frozen Brains, 2004

Mom, Dad, I’m Living with a White Girl, 2001

Awards and Nominations

The Mystery of the Frozen Brains

• City of Edmonton Book Prize, 2005

The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul

• Winner, Diamond Willow Award, 2007
• Finalist, Arthur Ellis Award, 2008
• Shortlisted for the 2008 Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award
• Shortlisted for the 2008 R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature
• Finalist, Golden Eagle Children’s Choice Award, 2007

Mom, Dad, I’m Living with a White Girl

• ACT Award, Harvard University, 1999
• Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award, 1999

The Orange Seed Myth and Other Lies Mothers Tell (Television Pilot)

• Gold Medal, Best TV Pilot, Charleston World TV Festival
• Shortlisted for the 1998 Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Youth Program
• Shortlisted for the 1998 Golden Sheaf Award
• Shortlisted for the 1998 AMPIA Award for Best Dramatic Writing

Marty’s Presentation Details

Funny anecdotes from my childhood demonstrate that real life can inspire engaging stories. Whether I'm talking about the Chia-Pet corduroy pants my mother forced me to wear or the calf brains in a freezer that convinced me that my parents were aliens from outer space, these stories show how a little imagination can transform the simplest real-life events into fun stories.

I tailor my talks according to audience, sharing age-appropriate stories for older students (I generally talk about my work in theatre with grades 8 and up). In my writing workshops, I use theatre games and interactive exercises to show students how to write.  

My presentations end with a story about my latest project and a question and answer period.  

I will present to grades 4 – 12, but I can present a shorter session (half hour) to younger grades.

Maximum number of students per session: 250 (with a microphone), but I prefer to talk to groups of 100 in a library setting.

Workshops available? If yes, for which grades:

I offer half-day workshops to grades 4 – 12, provided that there is no more than a two-grade span between participants.

Maximum participants for workshop: 25

I am comfortable in a classroom, library, auditorium, or gymnasium. 

I also offer a professional development workshop, Cheat Codes for Writing. This hands-on, interactive workshop offers teachers tips and tricks on how to help students create conflict in their stories. I presented this workshop at several teachers’ conventions in Alberta.

For my general presentations, I need a small table and a bottle of water. For writing workshops, I’ll also need a whiteboard or flipchart and markers.