Congratulations! Your children’s book or CD is out, or about to come out, and now you want to get it in front of kids. Hmmm…

Where’s the best place to get kid exposure? Schools, of course. Schools. Just the word alone takes you back. The halls. The looks. The dread… You’re feeling like you’re in Jr. High again.

What if they laugh at me, or make fun of me? What if they just roll their eyes? What if they all hate me??? Okay, maybe you’re not feeling that hopeless, but you still have concerns.

Children’s book creators, musicians, actors, and other artists who visit schools are often introverts who work alone. The pressure from publishers and others to get out there and market books and services, especially through school and library visits, can feel overwhelming to many creative people.

I’m a creativity coach, a past school librarian who hired artists to perform at schools, and an author who visits schools regularly. I’ve presented sessions on school visits at several conferences and have coached many individuals on developing their presentations and overcoming their fears and concerns.

I partner with authors, illustrators, musicians, and others to identify their presentation topics, their inspiring stories, their methods for comfortably managing audience behavior, and their unique gifts to share as they support teachers and students. The goal is to not only promote books and other products or services, but to teach, inspire, and enjoy connecting with audiences.

Whether you’re new at presenting to kids or a seasoned educator like me, you might want to take advantage of my new year’s special. A whole month of coaching for $195 ($125 savings) covers your initial presentation questionnaire and evaluation, a phone call to address your concerns, and (for the first time ever) unlimited email follow-up (I request you check in at least weekly). That’s a fraction of what you can get paid for just one school or library visit.

You and the students you see deserve to have your visit be the best experience possible. Give yourself the gift of feeling prepared and confident going into your presentations. Or better yet, tell a loved one you found the perfect gift for them to give you!

Happy new year! And may all your creative dreams come true…