John is an energetic, exciting speaker who will be doing many readings, booksignings, events, and presentations for Loop Year at libraries, bookstores, schools, colleges, coffeehouses, and other venues. His events are appropriate for all ages. If you need directions to an event or if you'd like to book John for an event, please contact him at this e-mail address: jsheirer@acc.commnet.edu or (860) 253-3138.

John's speaking fee runs from a modest honorarium to cheese and crackers. He will generally speak for free at any location in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Outside of these two states, he will only ask for transportation costs. For land trusts and other environmental organizations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, John will speak for free and donate a portion of the proceeds from his book sales at your event to your organization.

Fundraising Opportunity for Land Trusts and Environmental Groups

Copies of Loop Year will be made available by the publisher, PublishingWorks, to any land trust or environmental organization in the country for $10 each. The books can then be sold at the cover price ($15.95), with the remaining $5.95 remaining directly with the organization. It works a lot like selling Girl Scout cookies, except with a really good book instead of Tagalongs. (To make this easier for the organization, the books can be ordered without prior payment. Unsold copies can then be returned to the publisher along with payment for sold copies.) To arrange for this fundraising opportunity, contact Carol McCarthy at PublishingWorks at this e-mail address carol@publishingworks.com or by calling her at (800) 738-6603.

Events

• Friday, May 2, 2008, 8 p.m.: Pre-publication reading from Loop Year at the Dire Literary Series, Out of the Blue Art Gallery, Cambridge, MA.

• Saturday, June 21, 2008, 2 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Borders in Keene, NH.

• Sunday, June 22, 2008, 3 p.m.: Official Loop Year book release event at the McCann Family Farm nature preserve in Somers, CT (the setting for Loop Year), located on Route 190, approximately one mile east of the intersection of routes 190 and 83 at the center of Somers. The book will be for sale, and John will read from it and sign copies. A portion of the sales proceeds will benefit the Northern Connecticut Land Trust, the nonprofit environmental and land-preservation group that owns and manages McCann's.

• Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Dinner speaker and reading from Loop Year for Broad Brook Rotary, Broad Brook, CT. (Rescheduled to July 22.)

• Thursday, June 26, 2008, 6 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year and writing discussion with students in Michaela Mullarkey's Bridge Program writing course at Asnuntuck Community College.

• Wednesday, July 9, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Forbes Library, Northampton, MA.

• Thursday, July 10 to Tuesday, August 19, 2008: Teaching English 285: Memoir Writing at Asnuntuck Community College. This course is fully online and can be taken anywhere with reliable internet access. Students include community members interested in memoir writing, regular Asnuntuck students, and transfer students from other colleges. (For four-year college students, this course may transfer as an upper-level writing requirement.) Prerequisites: An introductory college composition/writing course or the equivalent writing experience, plus application to the college. (Consistent access to high-speed internet and a love of reading and writing help as well!) Enrollment is limited to 20, so apply early. Please e-mail John for more information.

• Thursday, July 17, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Burgundy Books, East Haddam, CT.

• Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Dinner speaker and reading from Loop Year for Broad Brook Rotary, Broad Brook, CT.

• Thursday, July 24, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Oliver Wolcott Library, Litchfield, CT.

• Saturday, July 26, 2008: 11 a.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Bayswater Book Company, Center Harbor, NH.

• Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Enfield Public Library, Enfield, CT.

• Saturday, August 2, 2008, 10:30 a.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Tatnuck Bookseller, Westborough, MA.

• Tuesday, August 5, 2008, noon: Lunch speaker and reading from Loop Year for Farmington Rotary, Farmington, CT.

• Saturday, August 9, 2008, 2 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Barnes and Noble, Manchester, CT.

• Thursday, August 14, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year for the Gunn Writers' Series at Gunn Memorial Library, Washington, CT.

• Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 8 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Amherst Books, Amherst, MA.

• Saturday, August 23, 2008, 11 a.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Booklover's Gourmet, Webster, MA.

• Sunday, August 31, 2008, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Selling, discussing, and autographing Loop Year all day at the Somers Day of Arts and Crafts, Somers, CT.

• Saturday, September 6, 2008, 1 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Broad Brook Books, Broad Brook, CT.

• Monday, September 15, 2008, 8 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year and writing discussion with students in Susan Krane's writing courses at Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA.

• Thursday, September 18, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year and writing discussion with students in Susan Krane's writing course at Asnuntuck Community College, Enfield, CT.

• Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, 2008: New England Independent Booksellers Association Trade Show, Boston, MA.

• Sunday, September 21, 2008, 6 p.m.: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Northern Connecticut Land Trust, Somers, CT. (This is the organization that owns and manages McCann's, the setting for the book--my "home" land trust celebrating its 20th anniversary!)

• Monday, September 22, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at South Hadley Public Library, South Hadley, MA.

• Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 10 a.m.: Reading from Loop Year and writing discussion with students in Liz Szewczyk's writing course at Asnuntuck Community College, Enfield, CT.

• Monday, September 29, 2008, 6 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Enfield Senior Center, Enfield, CT.

• Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Sunderland Public Library, Sunderland, MA.

• Saturday, October 4, 2008, 5 p.m.: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Dudley Conservation Land Trust, Dudley, MA.

• Monday, October 6, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Agawam Public Library, Agawam, MA.

• Saturday, October 11, 2008, 2 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Montgomery House Library, McEwensville, PA.

• Thursday, October 16, 2008, 6 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at North Adams Public Library, North Adams, MA.

• Sunday, October 19, 2008, 2-6 p.m.: New England Library Association Conference, Manchester, NH.

• Saturday, October 25, 2008, 1 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Fox Tale Books, New Durham, NH.

• Saturday, October 25, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Water Street Bookstore, Exeter, NH.

• Saturday, October 26, 2008, 4 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Barnes and Noble, Newington, NH.

• Monday, October 27, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Norwalk Land Trust, Norwalk, CT.

• Saturday, November 1, 2009, 1:30 p.m.: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Suffield Land Conservancy, Kent Memorial Library, Suffield, CT.

• Monday, November 3, 2008, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Somers Women's Club "Meet-and-Greet," Somers, CT.

• Thursday, November 6, 2008, 6:30 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year for the Simsbury Land Trust at Simsbury Public Library, Simsbury, CT.

• Sunday, November 16, 2008, 2 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year and photo show at Roaring Brook Nature Center, Canton, CT.

• Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 6 p.m.: Dinner speaker and reading from Loop Year for Easthampton Rotary, Easthampton, MA.

• Wednesday, February 4,2009, 2 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year at Southbury Public Library, Southbury, CT.

• Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year for the Windsor Women's Club, L.P. Wilson Community Center, Windsor, CT.

• Tuesday, February 17, 2009, time TBA: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Pascommuck Conservation Trust, Easthampton, MA.

• Thursday, May 21, 2009, 6 p.m.: Annual meeting guest speaker and reading from Loop Year for Manchester Land Conservation Trust, Manchester, CT.

• Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 7 p.m.: Reading from Loop Year for Somers Historical Society, Somers, CT.

More events coming soon ...

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