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In addition to being an acclaimed kidlit author, Katherine has been a classroom teacher (little kiddos to adults) for over 22 years.
She loves speaking to groups – children, teens, and adults – and she’d love to visit yours! Katherine is available for:
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Click here to watch all Yoga with Eleonora videos. |
Visit OptionsFREE 20-minute Virtual Q&A
Virtual Author Visits–Full Presentation Plus Q&A
In-Person Author Visits
***VISITS/PRESENTATIONS MAY NOT BE RECORDED OR SHARED.*** |
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For the Younger Crowd (Pre-K/K to elementary)
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Meet Eleonora!
Meet Katherine, who is the writer, voice, and co-creator of Yoga with Eleonora -- and meet Eleonora, herself, too! In this interactive, fun, and meaningful presentation that is rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL), participants will practice identifying Eleonora's feelings, let Eleonora know how they are feeling right now, learn more about yoga and why it helps us, watch 1-2 videos of Yoga with Eleonora, and have a Feeling Freeze Dance Party with Katherine and Eleonora! They'll also be able to ask both Katherine and Eleonora questions. |
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Download a free coloring page below (designed by my own kiddo!). Feel free to print, copy, and share!
For the Older Crowd (10 years to 100+ years)
Fear and Writing
The blank page. The blinking cursor. Hours on Snapchat or Facebook, and the subsequent regret that “I could have been writing!” We’ve all faced the debilitating experience, also known as Writer’s Block. In this session, Katherine offers a variety of exercises, activities, and prompts to overcome the fear of the blank page and get the words flowing.
Mindful Practices and the Creative Process
In The Best Possible Answer, Vivi struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. While of course students who are experiencing similar struggles should first and foremost be supported by professional health experts, mindful practices (like gentle movement and deep breathing) offer a holistic approach to the relationship between the body and the mind, and can encourage a state of creative “flow” that can support students of all talents and abilities. As a certified health and wellness coach, yoga teacher, and creative writing instructor, Katherine leads participants through a very gentle seated and standing yoga practice, focused meditation, and writing and/or drawing to create from a place of joy, rather than suffering.
Loving Your Body and Boosting Self-Esteem
In How to Be Brave, Georgia feels uncomfortable in her body that’s deemed “overweight” by society’s standards, and part of her storyline is that she finds confidence in her body, as it is – that losing weight does not equal being brave. Booklist noted, “Georgia’s struggles with weight and body image are also handled with care. “ Katherine leads a gender-inclusive discussion about body image that includes a focus on mass media and body dissatisfaction, along with practical tools for gaining self-esteem and positive body acceptance.
The blank page. The blinking cursor. Hours on Snapchat or Facebook, and the subsequent regret that “I could have been writing!” We’ve all faced the debilitating experience, also known as Writer’s Block. In this session, Katherine offers a variety of exercises, activities, and prompts to overcome the fear of the blank page and get the words flowing.
Mindful Practices and the Creative Process
In The Best Possible Answer, Vivi struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. While of course students who are experiencing similar struggles should first and foremost be supported by professional health experts, mindful practices (like gentle movement and deep breathing) offer a holistic approach to the relationship between the body and the mind, and can encourage a state of creative “flow” that can support students of all talents and abilities. As a certified health and wellness coach, yoga teacher, and creative writing instructor, Katherine leads participants through a very gentle seated and standing yoga practice, focused meditation, and writing and/or drawing to create from a place of joy, rather than suffering.
Loving Your Body and Boosting Self-Esteem
In How to Be Brave, Georgia feels uncomfortable in her body that’s deemed “overweight” by society’s standards, and part of her storyline is that she finds confidence in her body, as it is – that losing weight does not equal being brave. Booklist noted, “Georgia’s struggles with weight and body image are also handled with care. “ Katherine leads a gender-inclusive discussion about body image that includes a focus on mass media and body dissatisfaction, along with practical tools for gaining self-esteem and positive body acceptance.
Praise for HOW TO BE BRAVE (2015) and THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER (2016) St. Martin’s Press/Griffin Teen
Featured on the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog as a YA That Gets It Right: Mental Health Edition
“A perfect book for anyone trying to figure out what they want their life to look like,
and how to be brave enough to make that life a reality.” —Booklist
“A thoughtful exploration of grief and life.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Georgia's thoughts often take the form of poems, which are interspersed within the narrative,
and they give the story, and Georgia's feelings, extra depth...Georgia is a pleasingly imperfect lead." —School Library Journal
“Vivi’s vividly portrayed panic attacks and pressure to succeed will speak to many readers.
Supporting characters are also strong. A sensitive novel about accepting imperfection.” —Kirkus Review
“The Best Possible Answer will speak to teenslooking for a life amid the pressures and expectations
of their high-school journey. A warmhearted and sensitive coming-of-age.” —Booklist
Click here for a Reading Guide for HOW TO BE BRAVE.
Featured on the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog as a YA That Gets It Right: Mental Health Edition
“A perfect book for anyone trying to figure out what they want their life to look like,
and how to be brave enough to make that life a reality.” —Booklist
“A thoughtful exploration of grief and life.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Georgia's thoughts often take the form of poems, which are interspersed within the narrative,
and they give the story, and Georgia's feelings, extra depth...Georgia is a pleasingly imperfect lead." —School Library Journal
“Vivi’s vividly portrayed panic attacks and pressure to succeed will speak to many readers.
Supporting characters are also strong. A sensitive novel about accepting imperfection.” —Kirkus Review
“The Best Possible Answer will speak to teenslooking for a life amid the pressures and expectations
of their high-school journey. A warmhearted and sensitive coming-of-age.” —Booklist
Click here for a Reading Guide for HOW TO BE BRAVE.
Testimonials
“I wanted to thank you again for taking the time to visit with our girls today. Many returned to class and shared how much they enjoyed the presentation. I'm sure they'll reflect on your important message and hopefully experience some peace where none existed prior to your visit.”
-Cathy Blackler, English Teacher Santana High School, La Puente, CA A California Model Continuation School “
"We ALL loved your presentation and visit! You are such a natural speaker and story teller. The students remarked at all the information you presented in the short time you had. Thank you again for your fabulous presentation. You motivated me!”
-Maral Guarino, English Teacher Clark Magnet High School, La Crescenta, CA
“Katherine is the consummate professional, and her creative approach will appeal to reluctant teens, who will want to participate and respond to her prompts. Thanks again for doing such a terrific job!”
-Erik Jackiw, Teen Librarian City of Commerce Public Library
“Katherine guides teachers through activities and discussion that enable them to transform the characters' journeys into meaningful classroom dialogue designed to facilitate students’ discovery of their own voices, their own persistence, and ultimately, their own bravery in a world that requires thoughtful, reasoning adults.”
-Vanessa Goodwin Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education California State University, Northridge
-Cathy Blackler, English Teacher Santana High School, La Puente, CA A California Model Continuation School “
"We ALL loved your presentation and visit! You are such a natural speaker and story teller. The students remarked at all the information you presented in the short time you had. Thank you again for your fabulous presentation. You motivated me!”
-Maral Guarino, English Teacher Clark Magnet High School, La Crescenta, CA
“Katherine is the consummate professional, and her creative approach will appeal to reluctant teens, who will want to participate and respond to her prompts. Thanks again for doing such a terrific job!”
-Erik Jackiw, Teen Librarian City of Commerce Public Library
“Katherine guides teachers through activities and discussion that enable them to transform the characters' journeys into meaningful classroom dialogue designed to facilitate students’ discovery of their own voices, their own persistence, and ultimately, their own bravery in a world that requires thoughtful, reasoning adults.”
-Vanessa Goodwin Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education California State University, Northridge
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Upcoming Events
To be announced
Past Events
May 2022, Yoga with Eleonora and Katherine met with a 2nd grade class just outside Miami, Florida, via Microsoft Teams
September 2021-May 2022, Mindfulness Mondays, Pasadena City College, free weekly mindfulness sessions offered to the community
April 7, 2021, Guest speaker, Introduction to Mindfulness, Yoga, and Meditation, PCC Queer Alliance Club, Pasadena, CA
February, 2021, Introduction to Mindfulness When Working with Community College Students Workshop, for the Vision Resource Center, Pasadena, CA
Spring 2021, Co-advisor for PCC's student-led Mind and Mediation Club
Election Day, November 3, 2020, Led 70+ faculty, staff, and students in a meditation on the morning of Election Day 2020, followed by discussion about stress management, mindfulness, and community support with Jason Vasquez, Counseling Psychologist
September 15, 2020, Speaker with Professor Jeong K.O. on the Health and Wellness Career and Social Justice Panel as part of PCC's Career Communities Social Justice Conference
Monday, May 13, 2019, Speaker on Health and Wellness Career Panel, hosted by the PCC Robert G. Freeman Center for Career and Completion, Pasadena, CA
September 30, 2018, from 1:30-3:30pm, Breath for Words: A Generative Writing Space Workshop at Yoga Blend, Burbank, California
Friday, September 28, 2018, Teaching Faculty, 2018 SCBWI L.A. Working Writer’s Retreat, Holy Spirit Retreat Center, Encino, CA
Sunday, April 22, 2018, L.A. Times Festival of Books, Moderating YA Panel, Nothing Left to Lose, with Gayle Forman, Emily X.R. Pan, Farrah Penn, and Marie Marquardt
Saturday, February 3, 2018, 1 pm, Barnes and Noble, Aliso Viejo, CA, with Lilliam Rivera and Carrie Arcos
September, 2017, Temple City Library, Temple City, CA
Saturday, September 16, 2017, Pasadena Loves YA Festival, “Love and Trust” panel, with E. Katherine Kottaras, Maurene Goo, Ameriie, and B.T. Gottfred
Saturday, April 23, 2017, L.A. Times Festival of Books, Young Adult Fiction: Who Do You Think You Are?
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 2017 Literary Orange Fest, Teen/YA Panel
Saturday, March 25, 2017, Keynote Speaker. Ontario Teen Book Fest, Ontario, CA
March 18, 2017, City of Commerce Book Fest, City of Commerce, CA
March 9-11, 2017, Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival, a.k.a SE-YA BookFest 2017, Murfreesboro, TN
March 4, 2017 Charlotte Huck Children’s Literature Festival, with the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California, Redlands, CA
November, 2016, NCTE/ALAN, Atlanta, Georgia, Signing at NCTE Annual Convention and presentation at ALAN Workshop: “LIFEBLOOD OF REBELLION:” TEACHING POETRY FROM YA LITERATURE TO ENGAGE TEENS”
November 5, 2016, BOOK LAUNCH PARTY for THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER with Charlotte Huang, author of GOING GEEK & Amy Spalding, author of THE NEW GUY (AND OTHER SENIOR DISTRACTIONS), Vroman’s Bookstore, Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA
Thursday, September 29, Presented to 270 students at John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA on Fear and Writing
Saturday, August 13, 2016, 1-4pm, Writing Workshop, Children’s Books Writers of Los Angeles, CBW-LA
July 7, 2016, Teen Summer Writing Institute at the City of Commerce Public Library, City of Commerce, CA
June 28, 2016, with Ashley Herring Blake, Jeff Zentner, and Courtney Stevens, Barnes and Noble, Brentwood/Nashville, TN
June 20, 2016, Hot Summer Teen Reads with E. Katherine Kottaras, Sarah Jude, Zac Brewer, and Kat Zhang, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
June 2016 Barnes & Noble Teen Book Fest, with Eileen Cook, Denise Grover Swank, and Michelle Falkoff, Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook, IL, signing with Eileen Cook and Denise Grover Swank, Anderson’s Bookstore, Naperville, IL, Printer’s Row Lit Fest, Chicago, IL
Saturday, June 4, 2016. LitFest Pasadena, Pasadena, CA
May 21, 2016, Moderator, Inaugural Youth Lit Salon: “Fighting Words”, GrandviewLibrary, Glendale, CA, Hosted by the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California
Saturday, May 14, 2016, Tots, Tweens, and Teens Book Fest, Pasadena, CA
April 9-10, 2016, 21st annual L.A. Times Festival of Books, the campus of USC, Spoke on two panels:
Wednesday, March 9, 2016, Verdugo Hills High School, with Charlotte Huang and Leyla Kader Dahm
Friday, February 12, 2016, Santana High School, La Puente, CA, Loving Your Body and Boosting Self-Esteem
Saturday, December 5, 2015, In conversation with Charlotte Huang, Nicola Yoon, Mary McCoy, Michelle Levy, and Gretchen McNeil at Chevalier’s Bookstore, Larchmont Village, Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, December 3, 2015, Verdugo Woodlands Book Fair, Barnes and Noble at the Americana, Glendale, CA
Saturday November 28, 2015, Once Upon a Time Bookstore and Vroman’s Bookstore, Small Business Saturday, Honorary Bookseller
Saturday, November 7, 2015, HOW TO BE BRAVE Launch Party, Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
Friday, November 6, 2015, California Library Association Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA
Saturday, October 17, 2015, Buena Vista Branch Library, Burbank, CA
September 2021-May 2022, Mindfulness Mondays, Pasadena City College, free weekly mindfulness sessions offered to the community
April 7, 2021, Guest speaker, Introduction to Mindfulness, Yoga, and Meditation, PCC Queer Alliance Club, Pasadena, CA
February, 2021, Introduction to Mindfulness When Working with Community College Students Workshop, for the Vision Resource Center, Pasadena, CA
Spring 2021, Co-advisor for PCC's student-led Mind and Mediation Club
Election Day, November 3, 2020, Led 70+ faculty, staff, and students in a meditation on the morning of Election Day 2020, followed by discussion about stress management, mindfulness, and community support with Jason Vasquez, Counseling Psychologist
September 15, 2020, Speaker with Professor Jeong K.O. on the Health and Wellness Career and Social Justice Panel as part of PCC's Career Communities Social Justice Conference
Monday, May 13, 2019, Speaker on Health and Wellness Career Panel, hosted by the PCC Robert G. Freeman Center for Career and Completion, Pasadena, CA
September 30, 2018, from 1:30-3:30pm, Breath for Words: A Generative Writing Space Workshop at Yoga Blend, Burbank, California
Friday, September 28, 2018, Teaching Faculty, 2018 SCBWI L.A. Working Writer’s Retreat, Holy Spirit Retreat Center, Encino, CA
Sunday, April 22, 2018, L.A. Times Festival of Books, Moderating YA Panel, Nothing Left to Lose, with Gayle Forman, Emily X.R. Pan, Farrah Penn, and Marie Marquardt
Saturday, February 3, 2018, 1 pm, Barnes and Noble, Aliso Viejo, CA, with Lilliam Rivera and Carrie Arcos
September, 2017, Temple City Library, Temple City, CA
Saturday, September 16, 2017, Pasadena Loves YA Festival, “Love and Trust” panel, with E. Katherine Kottaras, Maurene Goo, Ameriie, and B.T. Gottfred
Saturday, April 23, 2017, L.A. Times Festival of Books, Young Adult Fiction: Who Do You Think You Are?
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 2017 Literary Orange Fest, Teen/YA Panel
Saturday, March 25, 2017, Keynote Speaker. Ontario Teen Book Fest, Ontario, CA
March 18, 2017, City of Commerce Book Fest, City of Commerce, CA
March 9-11, 2017, Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival, a.k.a SE-YA BookFest 2017, Murfreesboro, TN
March 4, 2017 Charlotte Huck Children’s Literature Festival, with the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California, Redlands, CA
November, 2016, NCTE/ALAN, Atlanta, Georgia, Signing at NCTE Annual Convention and presentation at ALAN Workshop: “LIFEBLOOD OF REBELLION:” TEACHING POETRY FROM YA LITERATURE TO ENGAGE TEENS”
November 5, 2016, BOOK LAUNCH PARTY for THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER with Charlotte Huang, author of GOING GEEK & Amy Spalding, author of THE NEW GUY (AND OTHER SENIOR DISTRACTIONS), Vroman’s Bookstore, Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA
Thursday, September 29, Presented to 270 students at John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA on Fear and Writing
Saturday, August 13, 2016, 1-4pm, Writing Workshop, Children’s Books Writers of Los Angeles, CBW-LA
July 7, 2016, Teen Summer Writing Institute at the City of Commerce Public Library, City of Commerce, CA
June 28, 2016, with Ashley Herring Blake, Jeff Zentner, and Courtney Stevens, Barnes and Noble, Brentwood/Nashville, TN
June 20, 2016, Hot Summer Teen Reads with E. Katherine Kottaras, Sarah Jude, Zac Brewer, and Kat Zhang, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
June 2016 Barnes & Noble Teen Book Fest, with Eileen Cook, Denise Grover Swank, and Michelle Falkoff, Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook, IL, signing with Eileen Cook and Denise Grover Swank, Anderson’s Bookstore, Naperville, IL, Printer’s Row Lit Fest, Chicago, IL
Saturday, June 4, 2016. LitFest Pasadena, Pasadena, CA
May 21, 2016, Moderator, Inaugural Youth Lit Salon: “Fighting Words”, GrandviewLibrary, Glendale, CA, Hosted by the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California
Saturday, May 14, 2016, Tots, Tweens, and Teens Book Fest, Pasadena, CA
April 9-10, 2016, 21st annual L.A. Times Festival of Books, the campus of USC, Spoke on two panels:
- YA Fiction: Love and Other Disasters with Amy Spalding, Morgan Matson, Emery Lord, and Robin Talley
- Fiction: The Game of Life with Pamela Ribon, Sara Benincasa, Heather Cocks, and Jessica Morgan (The Fug Girls)
Wednesday, March 9, 2016, Verdugo Hills High School, with Charlotte Huang and Leyla Kader Dahm
Friday, February 12, 2016, Santana High School, La Puente, CA, Loving Your Body and Boosting Self-Esteem
Saturday, December 5, 2015, In conversation with Charlotte Huang, Nicola Yoon, Mary McCoy, Michelle Levy, and Gretchen McNeil at Chevalier’s Bookstore, Larchmont Village, Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, December 3, 2015, Verdugo Woodlands Book Fair, Barnes and Noble at the Americana, Glendale, CA
Saturday November 28, 2015, Once Upon a Time Bookstore and Vroman’s Bookstore, Small Business Saturday, Honorary Bookseller
Saturday, November 7, 2015, HOW TO BE BRAVE Launch Party, Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
Friday, November 6, 2015, California Library Association Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA
Saturday, October 17, 2015, Buena Vista Branch Library, Burbank, CA