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 a Patron of Reading for Kemnay Academy in Aberdeenshire as of January 2016.

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

2018 Public Events:

March 8: MC for Shoreline of Infinity, International Womens Day Edition, Edinburgh
March 17: Aye Write, Glasgow Concert Hall. Event with Chris Brookmyre (4.15 pm) & 404 Ink Nasty Women (8.15 pm).
March 21: Blackwells, South Bridge, Edinburgh. From Idea to Book with Sam Boyce and Simon Spanton. 6 pm.
March 25-26: Sci Fi Weekender, Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park, Pwllheli.
July 17th: Waterstones, Newcastle, 7 pm with Alice Oseman and Mari Hannah.
…And hopefully more events to come!

2017 Public Events:

February 18th: Inspiration Point Literary Salon, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, 7 pm.
March 6th: Nasty Women Launch, Glasgow, Waterstones Argyle Street, 7 pm.
March 8th: Women in SF Event with Shoreline of Infinity, The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh, 7.30 pm.
March 14th: Masquerade Event, Waterstones Aberdeen, 6.30 pm.
March 22nd: Nasty Women Launch, Edinburgh, Waterstones West End, 6.30 pm.
March 25th-26th: Guest at Dutch Comic Con, Utretcht, The Netherlands.
March 28th: Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, Carmelite House, London, 6.30 pm.
April 18th: Event for False Hearts paperback with Elizabeth May, Waterstones West End, 6.30 pm.
May 13th: Teen Author Smash, American Library in Paris, 6.30 pm.
May 27th: MCM London Comic Con.
June 15th: Shattered Minds Signing, Forbidden Planet, Newcastle, 6 pm. More details here.
June 20th: Shattered Minds Event, Waterstones Aberdeen, 6.30 pm.
June 22nd: Shattered Minds  Event, Waterstones Glasgow Argyle St, 6.30 pm. More details here.
June 24th-25th: Story Con, Glasgow.
June 28th: Linlithgow Book Club, Linlinthgow.
July 28-30: YALC, London Film and Comic Con. See blog for details.
August 9th-13th: Helsinki Worldcon, Helsinki. See blog for details.
August 20th: Borderlands Books, San Francisco, 3 pm.
October 9th: Dunochter Library for National Libraries Week, 7 pm.
October 11th: Shoreline of Infinity, The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh, 7.30 pm.
November 22nd: Bookish Games Night, Golden Hare Books, Edinburgh, 6.30 pm. More details here.

Check back for updates!

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’ve done over 50 events.

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 visits (last updated Dec 2017):

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)

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)

Conventions & Festivals: Inverness Book Festival (07/13); Writing LGBTQ+ Characters in SFF, Nine Worlds (08/14), Aberdeen International Youth Festival workshop at the Lemon Tree (07/15); Storycon, Glasgow (06/16); LGBT YA event, Festival Theatre (11/16); Dutch Comic Con (03/17); London Comic Con (05/17); YALC (07/17);Helsinki Worldcon (08/17); Shoreline of Infinity, Edinburgh (10/17); (forthcoming) Aye Write, Glasgow (03/17); SFX Weekender, Wales (03/17)

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