Events

Saturday, June 27 from 1-3 PM - Carol will be at the Woburn Public Library’s fifth annual Local Author Book Fair at the Richardson Gallery and Frizzell Study Hall.

Saturday, May 30th at 11:00 - Carol will be doing a Storytime  with Nancy Goulet and her illustrated book, Vroom,Baby Driver, Zoom, written by Lori Alexander. It will be a vehicle theme! I'll share Trucker Kid, illustrated by Russ Cox. We'll be at Ten Trees Books at 29 Main Street in Natick, MA.

Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10 am – 3 pm Carol will be at the Poughkeepsie Children’s Book Festival

Dutchess Community College, Falcon Hall

Sunday, November 16th, 2025,  11 am to 3 pm Carol will be at the The Newton Children’s Book Festival New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newton, MA 02465

Saturday November 8th from 10 am -12 pm - Carol will be at the local author fair at Memorial Hall Library,  2 North Main Street, Andover, MA 01810

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.

TESTIMONIALS

Some of the testimonials Carol has received: 

"Thank you , thank you, thank you ! You were such a pleasure to meet. The kids are over the moon thrilled with your visit.  Do you have an address we can mail sometime to? Thank you for making ok world read aloud day so very special." Michelle Klosek, 3rd grade teacher in Perth Amboy, NJ, WRAD 2025

"Thanks so much for being a part of Greenwood's AuthorFest! It was so wonderful to have you in the school with our first and second graders!  (My niece is in the first grade and told me it was "amazing!") We truly appreciate you being a part of the event."

Danielle Lueger, Greenwood, MA public school, March 2024

"Thank you so much for coming!  The students and staff raved about you and your knowledge!" Erin Gokey-Kaik, Title I Literacy Teacher, Bristol Elementary School, Bristol, NH 

"Your insight about the writing process was so powerful and I feel completely certain you have left your mark on many students and teachers.  Not only your insight, but your enthusiasm for writing and reading was absolutely contagious.  Thank you for sharing your struggles, whether they were big or small, industry related or personal.  YOU changed US.  I promise you’ve helped to create readers and some budding authors.  I feel certain you’ll see some of their work in the coming years!  THANK YOU!"
Dedra Carter, Elementary English Language Arts, San Angelo, TX 

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.

Zoom 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.