Visits & Events

I am on the Scottish Book Trust Live Literature Database.

A Scottish Book Trust blog post from Chris Kelso, the librarian of Doon Academy, about my visit to their school in February 2016.

I am available to become a Patron of Reading. I was previously a Patron of Reading at Kemnay academy from 2016-2017.

As of August 2016, I am a part-time creative writing MA lecturer at Napier University.

2019 Events:

February 8: P.M. Freestone in Conversation with Laura Lam. Waterstones Prince St, Edinburgh.
February 25: Samantha Shannon Event, Chaired by Laura Lam. Waterstones Argyle St, Glasgow.
March 14: Love Panel with Noelle Harrison, Tracy Gow, Laura Lam & Sandra Ireland, Waterstones St. Andrews, St. Andrews.
March 16: Laura Bates and The Burning, Chaired by Laura Lam, Aye Write, Glasgow.
April 25: P.M. Freestone & Alice Broadway in conversation, Chaired by Laura Lam, Waterstones Argyle St, Glasgow.
May 21: Love Panel with Noelle Harrison, Tracy Gow, Laura Lam & Sandra Ireland, Blackwells North Bridge, Edinburgh.
May 23: Envisioning Space Exploration: Scotland in Space and the Literary Imagination. University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.
June 7: Historical Fantasy with Elizabeth May, L.J. MacWhirter & Laura Lam, Cymera, Edinburgh, 4 pm.
June 7: Potions & Poisons with Melinda Salisbury and P.M. Freestone Chaired by Laura Lam, Cymera, Edinburgh, 6 pm.
June 8: World-building with Laura Lam. Cymera, Edinburgh, 10 am.
June 9: Building a Career with David Bishop. Cymera, Edinburgh, 1.30 pm.
June 15: Building a Plot, Storycon, Glasgow.
August 12-15: Dublin Worldcon
October 19: Gollanczfest, London
November 5: Scotland in Space Book Launch, Edinburgh

Secondary schools visited (via Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature programme): Berwickshire, Lasswade, Woodmill.

School Visits & Speaking:

If you would like to book me for an event, please do not hesitate to either request a booking via Scottish Book Trust if within Scotland or contact me directly via the form here for rates and availability. I can do writing workshops for students age 11+, in either small or large groups. I can also do visits remotely via Skype.

I often do a short reading from my book and then discuss a little bit about me and my background and my writing journey. I place emphasis on my love of reading fostering my love of writing, as well as the process of researching, outlining, drafting, and editing a novel. I have various writing exercises planned, from short warm ups to longer activities. Some of the workshop syllabi I have planned are:

• From Idea to Bookshelf: the step-by-step process of creating a book, from that initial spark of inspiration to seeing it in bookstores
• Creating a Character: how to have a character that comes alive off the page
• Plot & Worldbuilding: how to create your story and create the vivid world where it is set
• Editing and Submitting Your Work: how to transform the initial first draft into a polished piece of work, and then where to send it.

I encourage questions throughout the session and sometimes listen students read their own work aloud or provide feedback on their stories.

I am happy to adjust my talk and workshop to better complement existing readings lists or the curriculum (such as Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence). I can additionally provide study notes/questions for my books for teachers if required.

Testimonials:

“Laura did a Skype author visit to our Florida library, and despite being thousands of miles away, engaged our teen group with her reading and sharing of her experiences. She even listened to their work and gave valuable feedback! One of our best author visits to date.”
– Alexandra Phillips, SJCPL Librarian

“Laura spoke to my AP Literature classes at Hayward High in the fall and did an amazing job engaging a roomful of students and answering their questions. I had many students eagerly anticipating Pantomime’s release after her reading. Months later, several students informed me that they were not disappointed! We look forward to Ms. Lam returning next fall and connecting with even more students at Hayward High School. ”
– Ms. Campbell, Hayward High School

“Laura spoke to a group of our Form 1 pupils and did a great job of engaging all the pupils and answering their questions. The visit was very popular and we’ll be sure to have Laura back to speak at the school again soon.”
– Tara Hepburn, Dollar Academy Librarian

“A fantastically well-written novel dealing with a sensitive subject in a uniquely creative way. Both my daughter and I can’t wait for the next book. We just need to know…”
– A Dollar Academy parent

“Laura was a guest speaker for our postgraduate creative writing programme, talking about the experience of writing her wonderful first novel, Pantomime. She was engaging, passionate and thoughtful – just like her prose. Highly recommended!”
– David Bishop, lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University

Past Events:

Universities: MA Creative Writing, Napier University (02/13); Distinguished Writers Series, CSUEB (01/14); English Senior Seminar, CSUEB (01/14); English 1001, CSUEB (05/14); English 1001, CSUEB (10/14); MA Creative Writing, Napier University (02/15); Introduction to Science Fiction & Fantasy, University of Wisconsin-Waukesha (02/15), MA Creative Writing, Napier University (03/16)

Secondary Schools: Hayward High School (02/13); Hayward High School (01/14); Kincorth Academy (09/14); Harlaw Academy (09/14); /12); Dollar Academy (2 sessions) (06/13); Keith Grammar (06/13); Gordonstoun School (06/13); Hayward High School (01/14); St. Machar Academy (10/14); Keith Grammar (2 sessions) (02/15); Robert Gordon’s College (10/15); St Margaret’s School for Girls (2 sessions) (11/15), Doon Academy (02/16); Kemnay Academy (2 sessions) (03/16); Milne’s High School (2 sessions) (03/16), Kemnay Academy, (06/16); Advanced Highers Conference, Edinburgh Secondary Schools (09/16); Kemnay Academy (11/16); The Bridge, Inverness (12/16); Inverness High (12/16); Grampian Childrens Book Award MC, University of Aberdeen (04/17); Keith Academy (06/17); Advanced Highers Conference, Edinburgh Secondary Schools (09/17), Glenrothes Academy (11/17), Dollar Academy (11/17), Glenrothes Academy (12/17), Berwickshire High (03/19), Lasswade High (09/19); Woodmill High (09/19)

Libraries & Community Centres: SJCPC Library (04/13 via Skype); Tillydrone Youth Centre (09/14); Northfield Library (09/14); Cummings Park Community Flat (01/15); Central Library workshop for Journalism students at SchmuFM (02/15); World Book Night, Rosemount Community Centre, Aberdeen (04/15); 4 linked workshops at the Central Library (09-10/15); Gilmerton Library (11/16); Editing Your Manuscript, Rosemount Community Centre (09/17); Dunochter Library (10/17), Craigmillar (11/19)

Conventions, Festivals & Bookstore Events:

2013-2015: Inverness Book Festival; Writing LGBTQ+ Characters in SFF, Nine Worlds; Aberdeen International Youth Festival workshop at the Lemon Tree

2016: Storycon, Glasgow; LGBT YA event, Festival Theatre, BBC Radio 2 Book Club, multiple bookstore visits for False Hearts‘ launch

2017: Inspiration Point Literary Salon, Aberdeen; Waterstones Argyle St, Nasty Women Launch; Shoreline of Infinity; Waterstones Aberdeen Masquerade Launch; Waterstones Princes St, Nasty Women Launch; Aye Write, Glasgow; SFX Weekender, Wales; Dutch Comic Con; Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, London; Waterstones Princes St False Hearts Paperback Launch with Elizabeth May; Teen Author Smash, Paris; London Comic Con; Forbidden Planet Newcastle; Waterstones Aberdeen Shattered Minds Launch; Waterstones Argyle St Shattered Minds Launch; Storycon, Glasgow; Linlithgow Book Club; YALC, London; Helsinki Worldcon; Borderlands Books, California; Shoreline of Infinity, Edinburgh; Bookish Games Night, Golden Hare

2018: Shoreline of Infinity, Edinburgh;  From Idea to Book, Blackwells Edinburgh; Storycon, Glasgow; Waterstones Newcastle with Alice Oseman and Mari Hannah; Waterstones Argyle St, Glasgow with Sasha Alsberg, Elizabeth May, Alexandra Cristo; MCM Comic Con, Glasgow; Cooler Lumpur, Malaysia; Waterstones Princes St, Love Stories Panel with Noelle Harrison, Tracy Gow & Sandra Ireland, chaired by Dawn Howie.

Mentoring: Scottish Book Trust New Writer Award (mentored from 2017-2018); What’s Your Story mentor to two teens in 2018, private mentoring in 2019.