1. Make sure you understand what the visit will cost. If the visit is within the
author's city, usually the only cost to consider is the honorarium (aka, the
presentation fee). If the visit is to another city or state within a few hours driving
distance, the author may charge for mileage and hotel as well. If the visit requires
a longer distance, there may also be the matter of airfare to consider on top of the
honorarium.
2. Make sure the author's payment is available on or before the day of the visit.
Please don't make the author have to ask for their payment. It's embarrassing.
3. Make sure you and the author agree on number of presentations, length of
presentation, etc. These things should be outlined in the contract, but it would be
disheartening if you thought the author would speak to each group for an hour when
the presentation is only 45 minutes. Also, please do not attempt to squeeze in or
alter extra sessions without notifying the author in advance.
4. Make sure you have an "Author's Assistant" available during the length of the
visit. Unless the author went to your school, they won't know where any of the
bathrooms, water fountains, or classrooms are located. Assign someone to guide them
around and help with A/V equipment and presentations. This can be a fun reward for an
excelling or improving student. If the students are too young to act as assistants, a
teacher or knowledgeable parent can handle the task.
5. Make sure the students have read the book. It's bad for an author to have
students stare at her blankly when she pulls examples from her book; it's worse for
the students to ask what the book is about.