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About Me

Alexandra Sheppard - Young Adult Author

I am a Young Adult Author based in North London. My debut novel OH MY GODS was published by Scholastic UK in January 2019 and has since received coverage from The Guardian, Buzzfeed and Refinery 29. I'm represented by Lauren Gardner at Bell Lomax Moreton.

 

I'm currently available for school workshops and assemblies exploring creative writing and Greek mythology. Find out more here.

 

Photo Credit: Tito Olaniyan

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OH MY GODS

Life as a half-mortal teenager should be epic. 
But, for Helen Thomas, it's tragic.

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She's just moved in with her dorky dad and self-absorbed older siblings - who happen to be the ancient Greek gods, living incognito in London!

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Between keeping her family's true identities secret, trying to impress her new friends, and meeting an actually cute boy, Helen's stress levels are higher than Mount Olympus.

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She needs to rein in her chaotic family before they blow their cover AND her chances at a half-normal social life.

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Or is Helen fated for an embarrassment of mythical proportions?

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Buzzfeed's 31 YA Books by Black Authors You Can't Miss This Year

Guardian's 100 best holiday books for 2019

Refinery 29's Best YA Books Written By Black Women That You Haven't Read Yet

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Home: Project
School Visits
School Visits

Now taking bookings for March 2022 and beyond!

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School, university or library visits can be arranged by emailing me: info@alexandrasheppard.com

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Virtual school visits

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I've adapted my existing workshops and assemblies for virtual school visits over MS Teams or Zoom - these are at a reduced rate compared to my in-person visits.​

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KS2 school visits

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My primary school assemblies are ideal for Years 5-6, particularly for schools who have engaged with my short story in the Happy Here anthology. I can talk about my inspirations for becoming an author, Greek mythology (particularly popular with this age range) or a subject of your choosing. 

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KS3 school visits 

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My workshops and talks are highly interactive, drawing answers from the most reticent of pupils. My novel is strongly influenced by Greek myths, and this is the focus of my workshops for Years 7 and 8: 

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From the goddess of hunting to the god of winemaking, the worship of deities in the ancient world gives us insight into their values and way of life. I invite your pupils to imagine how this system of deities could be transferred to their lives today - god of memes or goddess of music streaming, for example! - and what that says about our values. 

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I also run workshops about the process of designing a book cover, inviting pupils to design their own book cover based on a real brief from a publisher. Older pupils may be more interested in my talk outlining my unconventional journey to becoming an author - ideal for assemblies or careers discussions. I'm happy to tailor my workshops to the needs of your school, and I particularly welcome events at schools with a higher proportion of BAME pupils. 

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Testimonials

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“Not everyone can captivate 180 Year 7s on a Friday afternoon but Alex did. 180 students were engaged and encouraged by her to come up with original ideas to creative writing. I would wholeheartedly recommend her for an author visit and will welcome her back again soon”. Librarian, Hornsey School for Girls

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"The students were so excited to see you and they wouldn't stop talking about you. After your visit there was such a high request for your book Oh My Gods that I had to give them the ones I use for my Book Club. It's such a joy to see the students reading more. I am so grateful that you came because the interest in reading in some of the students has gone high." Librarian, Eastbury Community School

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"It was a wonderful event and fantastic to see the pupils engaging so well with the concepts surrounding Greek gods and teen fiction. You had them enraptured – who knew we had so many mythologists in our midst?!" - Ms S. Hayden, Graveney School

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"The students were incredibly engaged and absolutely loved your visit - I've had glowing reviews this morning from staff and students!" - Miss L. Allen, Chelsea Academy

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"It's sometimes hard to know what to expect with an author visit but I had every confidence that Alex's visit was going to be a one to remember. The assembly was interactive, fast-paced and included some great writing tips. The 21st Century Gods workshop was well thought out and planned which engaged our students from the moment they walked in the door. Since your visit, there have been so many copies of Oh My Gods being read. Thank you for encouraging our students to read!" - Mr D McLaughlin, Walker Academy

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"We really enjoyed the workshops because it gave us a chance to extend our writing and to be creative with our story concepts. We would love to do it again and Alex was great fun. Thank you for this opportunity." - Cecilia, Year 8

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