I visit schools & speak at conferences across the country.
I love talking to grown ups & kids about picture books! When presenting to people of all ages, I can tailor our time to fit the needs of any sized group.
After an interactive presentation, I love to sign books bought in advance. I’ve been known to pass out a sticker or two as well… Read on for more details, or get in touch here.
“Gaia sparked my thinking in new ways and that’s always a good thing.” ~ Conference Attendee
Presentations
In-Person School Visits:
After a reading, I lead a discussion about the book's themes or my creative process — expect jumping and drawing! I'm happy to tailor the visit to what your class is working on.
–Beginning October 2026, all visits include a complete pre-visit package for your chosen book: videos, teacher guide, and student activity sheet.–
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“Your talks of bravery, being scared is okay, and just the adventure of conquering a fear were so important to them. The way that you allowed each and every student to participate, and your ability to make them feel that their comments were only the most important ones ever - such a gift!”
~ Washington, DC, school visit with An Open Book Foundation
For Teens and Adults:
I love talking to grown ups too — librarians, teachers, PTOs, parent groups, educators, and fellow creatives.
We can explore incorporating picture books into lesson plans, SEL through reading, and the importance of representation in children's literature.
For aspiring writers and illustrators, I'm happy to discuss the publishing industry, my process, and how to get started — including short manuscript or portfolio critiques.
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Speaking:
I've spoken at conferences and book festivals across the country, including Vermont's Red Clover Book Award Conference (keynote), NESCBWI Conference, and Lesley University, and have partnered with numerous nonprofit literacy organizations to bring author visits to underserved communities.
Coming up: CT Association of School Librarians (CASL) Conference and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference 2026.
“…She is an incredible speaker. She talked about something that’s on all of our minds these days: the importance of diversity in picture books—why now is the time for children not only to see themselves reflected in the books they read, but also getting to see children from other cultures and circumstances. It was a welcome topic to a room full of educators who see K-4 children on a daily basis, especially in our almost-all-white state of Vermont.”
~ Vermont, Keynote Speaker at the Red Clover Conference
Can’t Meet In Person? Find out about virtual visits here.
The Nitty Gritty
I’m based in Old Lyme, Eastern Connecticut.
Neighbors
Under 20 miles from me:
$600 per session
Up to three sessions per day
No travel fee
Local-ish
Within 2 hours from me:
$1,800 day rate
Travel Fee: $125 flat fee + tolls if applicable
Up to three sessions per day
A Trip
Beyond 2 hours from me:
$2,500 day rate
Travel expenses itemized at actual cost
Up to three sessions per day
I'm always happy to include a casual lunch with teachers, or a selection of students.
Regional Author Residency
For schools outside my region, I offer multi-school travel visits.
Which means we do the heavy lifting and coordinate 2–3 days of visits across multiple schools in the same area.
Get in touch to discuss scheduling.
Speaking
Available for conferences, literacy events, educator professional development days, and book festivals.
Get in touch to discuss details and scheduling.
Discounted Visits
I donate a limited number of visits to under-funded Title 1 schools each year.
If your community is in a position to help sponsor visits for others, I'd love to talk.
“I’ve been trying to figure out how to introduce diverse picture books to my students and Gaia gave me some great ideas.” ~Conference Attendee