Upcoming Events
- July 29, 2017 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m Who She Was release signing at Barnes and Noble in Jordan Creek Town Center, Des Moines.
- August 7, 2017 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Teen Book Club talk at the Urbandale Public Library.
Literacy is my Passion
Beyond simply loving words, there is nothing I’d rather do than advocate for literacy. The act of writing a book is fun to discuss, but I want to give kids a reason to be passionate about words and what reading can do for them as a person, a student, a dreamer and eventually, an adult.
I’ve had the pleasure of coming into a few local schools in Des Moines and talking to the kids about literacy and being an author. I like to take it a step further though, and also focus on major life themes like taking risks, receiving critical feedback, being an authentic person, networking and what you might have to give up to make your dreams come true. If you are a teacher or a librarian, and you want me to visit your students, please email me.
Testimonials
“Stormy recently spoke to the Advanced English 10 students at Norwalk High School. She discussed her unconventional path toward becoming an author and the writing and publishing processes she uses. However, she went beyond that and discussed many other life lessons with our students, like overcoming obstacles and making sacrifices to achieve your goals. The kids felt inspired not only as writers but also as teenagers setting out on their own paths. Stormy is a well-prepared and engaging presenter and has a natural way of connecting with people of all ages. The ‘buzz’ around Stormy’s visit lasted well after her presentation.” – Jennifer O’Connor, Norwalk High School Teacher-Librarian
“Stormy visited our middle school and spoke to several large groups of students. Her passion for writing was evident, and her story-telling approach really appealed to the students. Many of the language arts teachers were thrilled that she touched on the standards they teach throughout her presentation. The students and staff loved her. We can’t wait to have her back!” – Kelly Reinhold, Waukee Middle School Teacher-Librarian
“My students are very reluctant readers and most are boys, so it was a new experience for them to read the first few chapters of a fantasy novel with hints of romance. Regardless, they were all excited to meet Stormy and had many good questions about “Bound by Duty”. Stormy was brilliant with her responses and shared all the facets of self-publishing from creating a book cover to working with Amazon. Stormy was able to discuss how important it is to surround yourself with good people who are willing to tell you the truth and how hard work pays off. I highly recommend having Stormy come speak at your school. She is very comfortable with a small group and has a natural rapport with teenagers. My students loved her!” – Wendy Barlow, Southeast Polk Reading Teacher
Stormy was invited to be our guest speaker at our Johnston Middle School Academic Recognition Night. This event recognizes all of our 8th and 9th grade students who achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher during the Fall semester. Stormy spoke in our auditorium to a crowd of around 500 people that included students and parents. During her speech she talked to our guests about her journey as an author, how her first book came together and the process she went through being self published. She made a very positive impression on our students and families and we would love to get her back in front of our students in a large group or individual classes in the future. I would strongly recommend having Stormy share her journey with any group of middle school or high school aged students! – Nate Zittergruen, Johnston Middle School Associate Principal