Varian loves to talk to both teens and adults about reading and writing, and about his passion for children’s and young adult literature. He is available for school and library visits, workshops, panels and keynote addresses, with each presentation tailored to fit the needs of the audience. He especially enjoys leading craft workshops to both teen and adult writers.

To schedule Varian for a presentation, please email him at vcj(at)varianjohnson.com.

Past Speaking Engagements Include:

• South Carolina Book Festival (Young Adult Panel)

• Darlington High School (English and Creative Writing Students)

• The University of Oklahoma (as a featured speaker for the Black Student Association)

• Gardner Betts Juvenile Detention Center (in conjunction with Austin Public Library)

Possible Workshops and Presentations Topics Include:

• How a Structural Engineer Transformed into a Children’s Book Author: This presentation gives a general overview on how Varian became a published author, and includes advice and information for aspiring and beginning writers.

• Reading, Writing and Revising: This presentation provides basic guidelines on how to best begin a career in writing, using examples from Varian's own published (and unpublished) manuscripts.

• Being Brave in Your Writing: This presentation provides both beginning and seasoned writers with tips and advice for tackling difficult subject matter.

• Pie Charts and Footnotes and Doodles—Oh My! : This presentation provides guidelines on how authors can best incorporate “extra” elements—like graphs and footnotes—into their manuscripts.

Varian’s rates are as follows:

Local Appearances: (Local = 30 mile radius of Austin, TX)

• $125 for one presentation (45 minutes to an hour) at local schools and conferences

• $450 for a full day (up to four presentations) at local schools and conferences

Out of Town Appearances:

• $750 plus expenses for a full day (up to four presentations) at schools and conferences outside of Austin

• $1200 plus expenses for a two day school visit or conference outside of Austin

A few things to keep in mind:

• If you have any questions concerning the above rates and workshop presentations, please ask. Depending on Varian’s schedule, some fees are negotiable.

• Due to the sensitive subject matter that Varian covers in his novels, he prefers to give school presentations to middle school and high school students (6th grade and up). Please keep this is mind when considering him for a visit.

• Varian has found that the most rewarding school visits are those in which the students are familiar with his work. He highly suggests that teachers and librarians make copies of his novels available to students prior to the presentation.