I love visiting personally with fans and enthusiasts around the world. I welcome the chance to present my ideas and views on storytelling, VOID hyper-realty, fantasy and hobby games.
That said, my work schedule strictly limits my available time for public appearances. If you are interested in having me appear professionally to speak at your function, present a workshop or appear at your convention, please note the guidelines below before submitting your proposal.
We provide tremendous value in our appearances. If you are interested in booking us for your event, send an email along with details to tracy@trhickman.com. We’ll respond to your request as soon as possible.
General Requirements for All Appearances:
The following are general preconditions that must be met for any appearance:
- Appearance Minimum Guarantee: Our standard appearance guarantee is $2,600.00 (USD) per day. This guarantee covers both Laura and I appearing at your event. This daily appearance fee is NOT charged for travel days within the United States but may apply for international travel (inquire at the above email address). This guarantee must be received by me no less than two weeks prior to our departure for the event.
- It Takes Two: I find travel and appearances difficult without the assistance of my wife and partner Laura. Laura Hickman is in her own right a published novelist and game designer. Many of our presentations are given jointly. Therefore all of our appearances are booked jointly: you will need us both.
- Transportation: All costs of transportation to and from your event for both Laura and I will need to be covered by your event. This includes airline tickets (first-class), transfers (pre-approved; generally limousine, chauffeur or media escort) and any incidental transportation required by the event.
- Lodging: Paid accommodation for two (approved in advance; three-star rated minimum, room and taxes only) for the night before and following the event. In the case of international travel (outside the United States) this must include a minimum of two nights before the beginning of the event. This lodging MUST also offer (A) queen-sized bed or larger, (B) private bathroom facilities, and (C) broadband internet access available from the room. Lodging must be approved prior to the event.
- Sunday Restrictions: Due to personal religious convictions, both Laura and I prefer not to work on Sundays. We do not object to travel on Sundays but public appearances and performances on my sabbath need to be avoided.
Speaking or Lecture Appearances
The General Requirements listed above cover the basics for any speaking or lecture event bookings. We speak to a variety of subjects including the writing process, story as a framework for motivation and meaning and the importance of imagination and ethics for our future. We are sought after speakers in education, motivation and religious venues.
Conventions
Conventions provide special challenges over a protracted period of time. In addition to the General requirements above, the following additional preconditions will need to be met:
- Minimum Prior Attendance: While we have long enjoyed the intimacy of smaller or new conventions, it is no longer practical for us to support them through personal appearances. You need a minimum prior attendance at your convention of 5,000 attendees before being considered.
- Events Scheduling: We provide a variety of very exciting and engaging events polished to a shine after over a quarter of a century of conventions. We are happy to provide them to your convention as part of our appearance and at no additional expense. As mentioned, we enjoy interacting with our fans and people everywhere we go. That said, in order to maintain the level of energy and engagement with the public, we know the importance of scheduling events and time at our convention appearances carefully. As a rule, you can expect one to two events and one to two signing appearances per day of the convention. Keynote speeches, lectures, panels and Q& A sessions are examples of events. Event schedules must be cleared in advance of the appearance and not over-scheduled. ‘Recovery time’ must be built into the schedule. Our appearance schedule must be approved by Laura and I no less than two weeks in advance of the event.
Workshops:
In addition to the general requirements, the following should be kept in mind:
- Scribe’s Forge: We conduct online workshops in the art and craft of writing Fantasy and Science-fiction at www.scribesforge.com. Presentation of writing workshops is booked at much higher rates than appearances due to the factorial increase in work required by such workshops.
- Size Limitations: Due to the nature of workshops, limits will be required as to the number of attendees. Other limitations (such as acceptance guidelines for specific workshops) may also apply. In general, we find it difficult to conduct workshops larger than a class size of twenty.
We provide tremendous value in our appearances. If you are interested in booking us for your event, send an email along with details to events@trhickman.com. We’ll respond to your request as soon as possible.