A Selection of Alexia's Books
Alexia Casale
Type of Artist:
Talks, workshops, Q&A, lectures
Details
Preferred age range:14-18 (Year 10 and up) + adults
I also have experience of sessions for Years 7-9 and am happy to do one session for younger children in a full day of events for older groups.
No of sessions per day:
Maximum of 3 sessions per day. I’m willing to be flexible (depending on distance from home, length of sessions, type of sessions) if discussed in advance.
Session Length:
Standard 1hr ‘talk’ event: 40mins talk & discussion, 15mins Q&A + signing
Workshops: 1.5-2hrs or half-day (3hrs)
I’m happy to be flexible about event lengths if discussed in advance.
Areas prepared to travel to:
I live in Buckinghamshire, but happy to work anywhere if appropriate expenses are met, including overnight expenses, depending on finishing/starting time for events more than 2 hours’ from home.
In the first half of 2017, I would prefer not to travel more than 100miles from London. In the second half of 2017, I can travel around the UK. After 2017 I am happy to travel internationally except to countries with severe restrictions on the rights of women: I will not travel to a country where women cannot drive and/or where women must cover any part of their face in public.
Transport:
Car preferred, except for central London, then train and tube.
I use the HMRC Approved Mileage Allowance rate for calculating car-travel expenses: 45p per mile.
Fees:
Please indicate which author you are interested in
Website:
Titles include:
The Bone Dragon
Testimonials:
In June 2013, Alexia Casale came to The Academy section of Uxbridge College to speak to the A Level literature students, on the joys and challenges of being an author, and spoke at length to an enthusiastic and receptive audience. After her lively talk, including detailed explanation of the genesis and publication of her recent book The Bone Dragon, she fielded some searching questions from the students. She was an exceptionally stimulating speaker, but was able to start from the students' own level in explaining that she too had been an Uxbridge College student, and how she had gone on to pursue her academic studies. She spoke of the need to have an idea and stick with it; and was an excellent role model as someone who was intellectually curious, read a lot, and fizzed with genuine excitement for literature. I was sufficiently impressed by her talk that, though my bookshelf groans with unread books, I went out and bought my own copy of The Bone Dragon and thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
(Mrs) Diana May, BA(Hons), previous Lecturer in English Literature, Uxbridge College.
"Alexia came to High Wycombe Library on the 4th February 2014 and gave an enthusiastic and fascinating pubic talk on publishing and how she wrote her new book. She went into lots of detail as to how she established characters, and how to navigate and explore different ways to progress the narrative to reach the final plot conclusion. She interacted brilliantly with the audience and took lots of questions that helped many of the budding authors who were present. We had readings from some pupils enlisted from Wycombe Abbey School and she was really keen to involve the pupils in the talk. Feedback received after the talk showed that all the pupils really enjoyed the interactive format. Alexia Casale was very passionate and enthusiastic talking about her writing and the library looks very much look forward to asking her back to take part in future events."
High Wycombe Library (Roberts Andrews, Oliver Lyon and Graham East)
In November 2013 Alexia Casale worked with Stockton Borough Libraries as part of the Northern Children’s Book Festival. This involved Alexia talking to a small group of young people at a local youth group and delivering two sessions to a 100 year 9 and 10 pupils at North Shore Academy and Yarm School. As Alexia was going to be staying in Stockton over night she offered to do a session in the evening which is how we were able to offer this to a youth group where the young people would have other wise missed out on the opportunity.
All of the author sessions that Alexia delivered during her time in Stockton whether in front of large or small audience seemed very personal and honest which I feel really inspired the young people. It’s always interesting to understand the journey of an author and Alexia responded to the group’s questions and worked the session around what they were interested in and wanted to know. This meant that they were really engaged in the session to the point that two young people wanted to share their own work with Alexia.
Alexia really listened and responded to both of these young people and was so impressed with a piece of poetry that she has put it on to her website. This was a real honour for the young person and really reflects the personal touch that Alexia brings to her sessions.
All of the sessions were well delivered, engaging and the passion which Alexia has for writing was clearly evident this is something that the audience can aspire to and connect with.
Lucy Carlton-Walker, Children & Young Person’s Librarian
Published work: