The First School Author Visit- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Part 1

I recently volunteered to share my book with my niece’s school. As a new author this was a great way to get my foot in the door and get the opportunity to share my story. Since my book is titled “Grandma’s Pear Tree” we thought it would be great to coordinate the event with the schools Grandparent’s Day on January 7th.

My next post will include some valuable tips and tricks, but for today’s post I wanted to share how I prepared for my very first school visit:

8 Days Before Event-

• Return home from mountains with abscessed tooth and raging sinus infection. (Author’s note- This does not help you prepare for a school visit but will affect the rest of the week.)
• Schedule emergency visit to the dentist.
• Fill prescription for pain killers and antibiotic.
• Notice side effects for medication include “Black ‘Hairy’ Tongue”
• Try to think of a way to incorporate “Black ‘Hairy’ Tongue” in presentation (just in case)

7 Days Before Event-

• Schedule emergency root canal. (Author’s note- This does not help you prepare for a school visit but is very important to the authors comfort. )
• Review material for presentation.
• Tongue still pink (this is a good thing because I couldn’t find a way to incorporate “BHT” into my presentation…too bad I didn’t write a monster book.)

6 Days Before Event-

• Holiday weekend tooth still hurting, sinuses still raging no preparation completed
• Tongue still pink

5 Days Before Event-

• ( See above)

4 Days Before Event-

• Contact school to verify event details; time, number of students, location etc… (Author’s note- This should have been done sooner but the holiday schedule made it impossible to check before now.)
• Call book store to verify book orders are complete and  arrange time for pick up.
• Frantically decide to create coloring page to hand out to students.
• Begin coloring page art
• Tongue status- pink

3 Days Before Event-

• Root Canal- (Author’s note- Once again I must state that this is not recommended preparation for a school visit but very necessary for the author’s comfort… if you can call root canals comfortable)
• Work on coloring page art
• Tongue status- pink

2 Day Before Event-

• Pick up Super Blog Buddy and head over to book store to pick up books for event
• Review material for presentation
• Ditch color page idea (Author’s note- It isn’t a good idea to try to make a coloring page after a root canal, maybe next time)
• Sign books
• Tongue status- pink

1 Day Before Event-

• Take younger son to school and arrange for older son to pick up
• Pack car making sure to include; clothes, books, props for presentation and medication
• Tongue status- pink

Day of Event-

• Wake up a dawn
• Many trips to the bathroom (nervous bladder)
• Does my tongue look gray? Is that a hair?
• I forgot my shoes, I’ll have to wear my tennis shoes
• Oh no I forgot the ball!

“Good Morning children my name is Suzanne Santillan and this is my book “Grandma’s Pear Tree…”

In the end, the event was big success. The children and staff were wonderful and there is something special about a room full of children and adults yelling “Aye Caramba” together. My tongue never turned black or hairy and while I am still fighting the sinus infection I am hoping that I will be over that soon. I might even try to finish that coloring page, I have another school visit scheduled next month.

I would like to extend my very special thanks to the students at St. Francis school for making my first school visit such a wonderful event.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk