Events
September 22nd, 2:00 p.m - Carol's TRUCKER KID will be performed by the Open Book Players for the Reading Rumpus event at Johnson Hall Opera House in Gardiner, Maine. Other titles will be performed as well. Book signings to follow the event.
November 9th, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - Carol will be doing a storytime with author/illustrator Jannie Ho (Chickengirl Design) at Molly's Bookstore in Melrose, MA
November 16th , 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 PMCarol will be part of a Children's Author Book Fair at the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers, MA
November 21, from 1:00 - 2:15 p.m. - Carol will be on an NCTE panel discussing Professional Writing Methods for Reluctant Young Writers at the NCTE Conference, Boston, MA
November 23, from 1-4 Carol will be at the Local Author Fair at the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, MA
December 7th from 2-4p.m. Carol is part of the Local Author Book Fair: Holiday Edition at the Woburn Public Library, Woburn, MA
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June 22, 2024 - 1-4 p.m. - A local author book fair at the Woburn Public Library, 45 Pleasant St, Woburn, MA
June 1, 2024 - 10:30 a.m. - Carol will be doing a reading, activities, and book signing at the Purple Couch Bookstore, 350 Winthrop Ave., unit 9b, North Andover, MA
May 4, 2024 -10 a.m. - 3 p.m. -The Hudson Children's Book Festival at the Hudson Junior/Senior High School, 215 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY 12534
March 30, 2024 - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Poughkeepsie, NY Children's Book Festival
March 23, 2024 - 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Andover, MA Memorial Hall Library - Local author fair
March 21, 2024 - Author visit with 1st and 2nd graders in Greenwood School in Wakefield, MA for their AuthorFest.
March 19, 2024 - Author visit with Bristol NH Elementary School, and parent presentation 5:30-6:30 p.m.
March 12, 2024 - 6:00 to 8:30pm, Young Writers and Illustrators Meet, Greet & Create! in collaboration with and located at the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield (467 Main St, Wakefield, MA).
February 3, 2024 - 11:30 - 1p.m. - Barnes & Noble Natick, MA - Joint book signing with author Amanda Davis
School Visits
I am a retired fourth grade teacher with 35 years experience. I have my Masters’ degree in reading and language, and have been a published author since 2008. I do an interactive presentation for one classroom or an assembly, talking about writing and tips for improving a student’s writing, the writing process, revision, being an author, etc., including many points I know are important for elementary students to hear. Writing, reading, and language standards will be touched on during this program.
Grades 3-5: 60 minutes, with time for Q and A.
Grades K-2: 30-45 minutes, with time for Q and A.
Fees:
Please contact me for availability and rates. Let me know if you are local or out of state. A basic school visit includes three presentations per day and a book signing if possible. We can negotiate a fee to go back into individual classrooms to work on writing with the students on a different day.
For schools more than 50 miles from Andover, MA a moderate flat fee (to be discussed) will be added for mileage, meals, and lodging if needed.
Skype visits are also available if an in-person visit is not possible. Contact cekster@aol.com to discuss author visits further.
Carol is also available to present the workshop - "Using Picture Books to Enhance Curriculum for Elementary Students," at faculty meetings, workshops, or conferences.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Some Daddies was a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards 2022 in the Northeast Region.
You Know What? was a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards 2018 in the Northeast Region.
You Know What? received a literary award: CLEL (Colorodo Library Early Literacy) Bell Picture Book Awards Nominee for Talk (2018)
Before I Sleep: I Say Thank You, Pauline Books and Media, 2015 went into its fourth printing!! It received 3rd place for the Catholic Press Association's Book Awards 2016, and was a finalist for ACP's Excellence in Publishing Awards 2016.
Children's Literary Classics selected Ruth the Sleuth and The Messy Room to receive the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval. The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Children's Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design.