Alby C. Williams
Kidlit For the Curious
Alby C. Williams hails from the land of snow and salt potatoes. They are a storyteller, poet and artist of dubious skill but endless enthusiasm. If you catch them in their spare time, you might mistake them for a cat based on the amount of yarn in their immediate vicinity, but don't be fooled---they're actually several pigeons in a trench coat.
For fans of AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS and THE MARVELLERS, Alby C. Williams' debut middle grade fantasy is a sweeping adventure filled with monsters, mysteries, and mischief.Eleven-year-old Glory Brown is desperate for adventure far from her family’s quaint, quiet life at The Light Inn. Generations of Browns have been stewards of this humble hotel, which acts as a sanctuary in the stretch of monster-filled land called the Seam. But Glory wants nothing more than to learn how to use her Moxie, a special magic only kids have, and to train to become a Spherinaut like her mother, exploring and documenting the perilous depths of the Outersphere.When a mysterious boy named Marcus appears one day on a top-secret mission for the Parliamentarium – the school for aspiring Spherinauts – Glory packs up her beloved books and sets off on a once-in-a-lifetime journey that will shuttle her across time and space…and reveal new dangers lurking in the worlds beyond the Seam.For there’s mischief afoot that’s threatening the balance between the worlds, its magic, and its monsters. And it’s up to Glory to find a solution before it’s too late.
Monsters, magic, and mischief abound once more in the spellbinding sequel to WHERE THERE BE MONSTERS, perfect for fans of THE MARVELLERS and AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS.Glory Brown is finally set to start her training as a junior spherinaut at the Parliamentarium. Will she turn out to be an owl, a bee, a fox, or a magpie, like her mama? She's been waiting a lifetime for this adventure . . . and yet all she wants to do is make her family proud and try not to be homesick for the Seam and all its charm.As Glory struggles to find her place as the new kid—one with a lot of questions and a soft spot for monsters—she's also coping with the after-effects of Paxton's treachery, like the curse that still plagues her. In fact, the worlds of the Outersphere are all in the process of recovering—and Glory suspects they haven't seen the last of Paxton, either.When top secret spherinautical charts go missing, parcels are tampered with, and the pocket-orreries go haywire, the Parliamentarium of Junior Spherinauts plunges into chaos. Now, Glory, Marcus, and their new friends must work together to figure out who the thief is and if they have what it takes to save the worlds again.
School Visits and Workshops
Group PresentationsStaying the Course: Disaster to Dream Job
1 hour (Grades 4-8)
Each one of us will fail at something (or multiple things) throughout our lives. Join Alby as they share their experience from failing out of school to becoming a civil engineer and a published author. Students will learn about the times Alby has experienced failure, but most importantly, how they were able to rebuild, regroup, and pursue their passion and purpose.The Life of a Middle Grade Author
1 hour (Grades 4-8)
Can you make a living as an author? In this session, Alby shares their life as a full-time writer, including their process of brainstorming, writing, editing, and publishing each of their books, and a glimpse into what life post-publication looks like. Students will leave the session feeling motivated and empowered to share their voices with others and ready to write their next story.Making a Multiverse: How I Created the Outersphere Series
1 hour (Grades 4-8)
How does a book even get written? Alby will share how their favorite real-life places, ideas, and animals anchor the creation of their books, The Outersphere series. Students will learn the importance of setting, character, plot, and theme and see how an author weaves these story elements together. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation, and they will walk away with a deeper understanding of what makes a story compelling, and why.
WorkshopsFrom Story Seed to Finished Fiction
1 hour (Grades 4-12)
In this interactive workshop, author Alby walks students through their method for taking a simple story seed to a completed piece of fiction. Students will learn brainstorming, story structure, and self-editing skills, and finish the workshop with a piece of short fiction in hand!Finding Your Voice
1 hour (Grades 4-8)
How can students find and then use their voice in writing? In this session, Alby will lead an interactive writing workshop where students will explore voice and how to harness it to reflect their unique experiences and perspectives.I'm available for in-person and virtual Q&As, hourlong, half-day, and full-day sessions.As a disabled author, I am especially interested in virtual visits because I believe that school visits should be equally accessible for disabled readers.Contact my booking agent using the button below to book your school visit today!
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