I'm Tristan Bancks, an Australian children's and YA author with a background as an actor, TV presenter and filmmaker. I am represented by Helen at Speakers Ink and I’d love to tell you briefly about my new titles and the action-packed and inspiring sessions that I offer to schools for years 4-12. The Mac Slater series (Random House) is a rapid-fire read for grades 4 to 8, full of wild inventions, fast-paced action, and technology that kids can relate to. Extensive teachers’ notes are on ‘For Teachers’ page at www.tristanbancks.com. See the video book trailer at www.macslater.com.au. The Nitboy series is for primary school aged children and it deals with the perennial problem of nits in a fast, funny and slightly disgusting way, with fantastic illustrations. These will grab even the most reluctant reader (www.nitboy.com). it’s yr life is a YA novel for ages 14+. Co-written with Tempany Deckert, my co-star on Home and Away when we were teens. We have re-teamed to write this suspenseful novel via email between my home in Byron Bay and Tempany’s in L.A. (www.tristanbancks.com/its_yr_life.html) 
The sessions that I offer include: 1) Be Scary – Based on my Mac Slater, Coolhunter series. I engage the group in sharing their invention ideas (Mac is an inventor) and we use those ideas as the basis for a new book in the Mac Slater series. I reveal how I make writing visual and fun and I encourage participants to think big and be bold in their ideas. It’s an active and inspiring session using images, video and the web. 2) Nitboy – We use the book’s illustrations to create a story as a group - our own totally new Nitboy story. We explore fun ways to create story ideas and I reveal how I write. I also ask the audience to free-write their own story based on a non-human hero. The results are fun and kids can’t wait to share their creations. 3) it’s yr life The book is about two teens on opposite sides of the world forced to email one another for a school assignment. The session looks at how technology brings us together rather than isolates, as well as issues around freeganism, dumpster-diving and social activism. I also reveal the unorthodox co-writing process on the book and explore the web content. 4) Change the World in Five Minutes – Based on my film, Change the World in 5 Minutes Every Day at School ( www.youtube.com/tristanbancks), made for SBS. This session is a hothouse for world-changing ideas with lots of fun video and live chat to inspire the next generation of world-changers. Teacher’s notes at www.tristanbancks.com/For_Teachers.html 5) Where Do Ideas Come From? A rollicking 1 or 3-hour inspirational workshop presenting fresh ways of using music, photos, movies, magazines, memory, free writing, dreams and the web to generate hot new stories. Spilling the beans on ways writers keep their creative juices flowing. Participants will learn how to let loose their own original ideas. If you are interested in a talk or if I can assist you in any way in getting the book to your readers please let me know. If you have a newsletter or website I would be happy to contribute to it We really enjoyed Tristan's visit and the response from the various audiences was great. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness of his preparation for each session and everyone felt inspired. - Port Macquarie-Hastings Library Services, August, 2010. Tristan effectively used his own website for exciting examples of his use of multi-media in narrative writing. Tristan’s use of the laptop as an effective teaching tool, kept the boys’ focus while he showed his creative inspirations for places and characters in his books. - Ipswich Grammar School, March, 2010. I just wanted to let you know how fabulous Tristan was today. The students were really excited. The teachers said he was the best author we’d ever had!! - St. Peter’s Lutheran College, Indooroopilly, September, 2009. "I just wanted to let you know that we had a FANTASTIC day with Tristan today. He truly is a wonderful speaker and he had the kids just eating out of his hands. He really can talk “kids speak”. Even our more “challenging” boys were quite taken by him. I sat in on two sessions and watched the kids. They were totally absorbed in what he was saying and were very enthusiastic with suggestions and questions. Their looks of delight said it all. Tristan is a true gem and I will be recommending him to everyone.
Thank you for recommending Tristan to us. You just have the knack of recommending the right speaker." - St. Augustine’s Parish School, April 2009. Tristan was a smash! Besides Tristan's great books I highly recommend Tristan as an entertaining speaker who has that unique presence that connects with all students. - Wagga Wagga Regional Library Service, May 2009. To download an event poster promoting Tristan's forthcoming visit, please click HERE Click HERE to download a book order form 
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