Susan offers both virtual and in person events.

Talks

NEW FOR 2024!

Lights! Camera! Action!

(One hour. KS2.) £150 + travel expenses

Step back in time with children's book author Susan Brownrigg and discover how real life people, places and stories inspire her 1930s Blackpool-set Gracie Fairshaw mystery series.

Susan’s new book - Gracie Fairshaw and the Missing Reel (published on World Book Day/Thursday March 7th 2024) was influenced by the fact that Britain - including the North West of England - in the 1930s tried to rival Hollywood.

Susan will explain how two real women - Zetta Morenta/Lilian Tollis a stuntwoman and body-double and Rochdale superstar actress and singer Gracie Fields - were the spark which prompted her third Gracie book. She will also explain why cinema was a welcome escape for working class folk. Pupils will be able to see original film magazines, have a sniff of seaside smell cubes and handle props including trying a director's megaphone, vintage film and reels and a clapperboard.

40 minute talk with reading PLUS 20 minute Q&A.

The Bumpy Road to Publication.

Assembly Talk (One hour. Whole school.) £150 + travel expenses

Susan shares how it took her over 20 years and several books to become a published author. Focuses on resilience.
40 minute talk PLUS 20 minute Q&A.

Gracie Fairshaw mysteries

(One hour. KS2.) £150 + travel expenses

Susan explains how real Blackpool events and places inspired her Gracie books. She talks about why representation matters in children's books and how her family and working-class background influenced her writing. Susan also reveals how she brought the 1930s to life by exploring Blackpool's seaside heritage in person, just like Gracie. (Includes smell cubes, talking tin sounds and costume activities.) Susan can include history themes from either Mysterious Guest (Blackpool Illuminations and Audrey Mosson, Railway Queen) or Trouble at the Tower (Blackpool Tower, Toys from the past, and/or 1930s Christmas.)

40 minute talk PLUS 20 minute Q&A

Kintana and the Captain's Curse

(One hour. KS2.) £150 + travel expenses

Voyage back to Madagascar, 1733 and discover how two real life pirate Captain's influenced Susan's pirate adventure. Find out what life at sea was like for young pirates and how Kintana's island really was home to dozens of pirates. Learn how the wildlife of Madagascar influenced her plot including elephant birds, curious aye-ayes with long middle fingers and giant hissing cockroaches. (Includes smell cubes, talking tin sounds, costumes and replica elephant bird egg handling.)

40 minute talk PLUS 20 minute Q&A. Susan can dress in pirate costume.

All fees are as recommended by the Society of Authors

Workshops for KS2

A postcard from Blackpool

£150 + travel expenses

A fun hour-long WRITING workshop using maps and real postcards sent by visitors to Blackpool in the past to spark story ideas.

Hold the Front Page

A fun hour-long WRITING workshop using old newspapers to create a newspaper front page. Discover the amazing story of Audrey Mosson - the 15-year-old Blackpool Girl who switched on the Blackpool Illuminations in 1935.

A Pirate Life for Me!

A fun hour-long ART & WRITING workshop designing treasure maps and creating a pirate character with an unusual animal sidekick. Taking inspiration from the real life Pirate Island, Madagascar.

£150 + travel expenses

NEW FOR 2024

Super storyboards!

A fun hour-long workshop showing how to use movie storyboarding techniques to plot the key moments in a short story.

Susan offers one hour, half day and full day visits to schools,

One hour visit (ONE author talk/Q&A OR ONE classroom workshop)
£150* + Travel expenses
(*£100 discount when school preorders minimum 20 books via bookseller (arranged via Susan)

Half day visit (ONE author talk/Q&A + ONE classroom workshop OR two classroom workshops)
£300* + Travel expenses
(*£100 discount if school preorders minimum 20 books via bookseller (arranged by Susan)

Full day visit (ONE author talk/Q&A + TWO classroom workshops)
£400* + Travel expenses
(*£100 discount if school preorders minimum 20 books via bookseller (arranged by Susan)

All visits can include book sales/signings. Any book preorders will be provided by local independent bookseller and arranged by Susan. Only one discount per school visit.

(Overnight accommodation where required is an additional cost.)

Charges are based on the Society of Authors fee recommendations

Susan has worked in heritage and wildlife education for 12 years,including as Learning Manager at Norton Priory Museum in Runcorn.

Susan has also worked at Quarry Bank Mill, Tatton Park and Catalyst Science Centre delivering education sessions and living history.

She also spent a summer season as an education assistant at Blackpool Zoo where she worked alongside ring-tailed lemurs, giant tortoises and Madagascan hissing cockroaches!

Susan has delivered a range of EYFS, KS1 & KS2 school sessions onsite and as outreach as well as a planning and delivering a host of family friendly events and workshops. 

Susan has delivered a series of author talks + Q&As and workshops at North West schools and family events at libraries.

Susan is also qualified journalist.

She worked as a reporter and sub-editor for over ten years, at Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Weekly newspapers.

Testimonials

"We loved meeting our bookpenpals author Susan Brownrigg today. Thank you so much for telling us about your life as an author and answering all our questions and teaching us about Eccles Cakes! The children were so excited to meet a real author, and it will really inspire their reading and writing." Baguely Primary School, Wythenshaw.

"I am writing to thank you for the wonderful author visit. The children and adults were fascinated by your life experiences and how you have used these to inspire your writing. It was lovely to hear our students ask so many questions and share their own ideas about your work. You made the assembly completely engaging with the props and pictures, which really highlighted the setting and context of the stories to make it accessible for our children. They acquired new vocabulary and loved hearing about the animals in the Kintana and the Captain's Curse story. Following your visit, we have received positive feedback from parents and one pupil was desperate to show me the Gracie book that her Mum had purchased for her this morning! During the library visit, you were so patient and kind to our children, which made them feel at ease to read to you. Another asked if you would be coming back again." The Brow Primary, Runcorn.

"We were delighted to welcome Susan Brownrigg into our school to talk about her life as an author. Susan took us on a journey from Blackpool to Madagascar as she explained the inspiration and influences for her latest three books. We were fascinated by her stories and by the props she brought along.

"We learned that writing a book takes a long time and a lot of research. Susan encouraged budding authors to follow their dreams and to never give up.
"Lots of us bought a dedicated and autographed copy of one of Susan's books to enjoy at home.

Thank you to Susan for visiting and to Tony (our book man) for organising this event."
Hatton Hill Primary School, Litherland (Year 2 visit.)

Susan can also be booked for evening and weekend visits and talks at libraries, bookshops and group meetings in person or via ZOOM or Microsoft Teams.

She has delivered after school club sessions and is happy to consider approaches for these.

She also offers writing workshops for adults.

CONTACT: susanbrownriggwriter@outlook.com -

Susan will usually respond same day so if you haven't heard back do please check your spam/junk mail for replies.