Frequently Asked Questions
What are your reading fees?
A. It is my goal to not charge reading fees. Instead, I ask you to support my literacy campaign through your school’s generous offering by paying for my traveling expenses while touring your state.
How do you stay in business not charging reading fees?
A. The typical YA writer may live in New York and travel to Florida for a one-day speaking event and then the following week travel to Ohio to speak to a school in Cincinnati. The traveling costs for airfare, hotel expenses, and car rental are expected to be paid by the school and then the author charges the school to speak at their assembly. To keep my expenses affordable, I will typically drive my own personal vehicle to the state I am traveling in and will bring boxes of books with me. I will usually spend a week in one geographic location and speak to several schools during my week’s stay. While still temporarily living in the same state, I will drive to the next nearest closest city and speak to the schools there. Typically, I will remain in one state at a minimum of one month and I have stayed in Iowa for over four months due to the number of schools asking me to speak there. This is why I call on your support to contact other schools in your area to help me schedule additional schools while visiting your school. As an incentive, I will discount my traveling fees to your school for getting other local schools in your area involved in my literacy campaign.
Why did you create The Day I Hit a Home Run Enterprise?
A. As a reading teacher in Florida, I realized that the reason older boys and girls turn away from reading as they mature is because there aren’t enough good local books for them to read. In general, national publishers only focus on publishing stories that have a broader appeal. Students enjoy reading local sports book about the average player who rises within himself or hersself and performs exceptionally at a local familiar professional sports stadium. My inspirational stories teach students the values they’ll need in their quest to live out their dreams. It is my belief that each child has been born with a special gift. By reaching out to each child and honing their individual skills, children will become more engaged in their educational needs. I am no longer licensed through minor leage baseball.If I haven’t created a local baseball book in your state, I call on your support to get your local professional baseball team involved in my Every Child Dreams of Greatness literacy campaign and you’ll be one step closer to having me create a local sports book for your students.
What type of events and age groups do you speak to?
A. I speak at school assemblies, book fairs, Family Fun, Reading Literacy, and Parent(s) night. In general, I speak to pre-K to grades 2 for 30 minutes about my picture book series that Emma Walton Hamilton, bestselling author and daughter of Julie Andrews, has agreed to edit for me. I use for my illustrators the best rising artitsts in the nation. I also speak to grades 3 through 5/6 for 45 minutes about a local sports book written specifically to appeal to a local audience. So if you’re a Reds fan, we have a local book about Great American Ball Park book. If you’re a Cubbie fan, we have a local Iowa Cubs book about Principal Park, etc. If you’re close to where the professional team plays their home games, the team’s popular mascot will sometimes join me during my speaking assembly. If requested, I also speak to middle grade students for 45 minutes. I will usually speak in a gym and use half the gym as a baseball field. I perform skits taken from the book and call on volunteers to assist me. As a national member of the International Reading Association, I use entertainment, fun, and play to engage students in reading. As to reading comprehension, I write vivid scenes that students can relate to and understand so they can picture the scenes in their minds. I believe strong visualization skills are necessary for good reading skills to develop.
We are interested in having you speak at our school to our school students. What’s next?
A.Email me at paul@thedayihitahomerun.com and let me know what date you’d like for me to speak. I work on a first-come, first-served basis and will reserve a block of dates for the schools in your area. If you’d like to review my book, you can purchase a copy of it via Paypal on this website. Most of my books retail for 12.95. I will not charge shipping and handling fees for each individual book order. I mail out books on the following business day. After reserving the date, if you’d like to order a group of books to have teachers read the book in classrooms prior to my arrival, I accept purchase orders and will charge your school the discounted purchase price. To the PO, I will add shipping costs to your school’s location. I do not charge handling or packaging fees. Book sales are how I earn my living and I will discount books that parents order. A few weeks before my school visit, I ask you to make copies of the book order and book flyer for your particular state located on my website and hand these items out to the students so they can give them to the parents to review. Parents and the school aren’t obligated to purchase any books. If a parent would like to purchase an autographed copy/copies of my book and have me include a personal inspirational message on their child’s book(s), have them return the bottom portion of the order form to the school. I prefer one check from the school made out to Dr. Mullen and individual checks made out to the school. However, if your accounting procedure doesn’t allow for this, individual checks should be made out to Dr. Mullen. Collect these order forms and email me the names, parent messages to include on a certain child’s book, and category it by the book purchased. I will autograph these books ahead of my speech and hand the signed books over to the principal, librarian, or coodinator the day of my event. By doing it this way ahead, I won’t interrupt any classes. I will also sign any books the day of my speech if late orders do come in that morning.
How many times in a day do you speak?
A. I typically limit my speeches to four on any given one day. I can speak to two schools in your district a day—one morning session and then one afternoon session. If you want I can visit with students and offer some prizes to students you want to single out (i.e. for winning a writing contest.) I have spoken in the evening at special school gatherings, but this is on a special request due to my normally having to speak the next morning at another school.
What if our school has received special grant money or our school calls on local businesses for book funds? Will you offer our school a deeper discount so we can purchase each student a copy of your book?
A. I have had several schools purchase each student a copy of my book and it is deeply moving to hear the cheers of excitment that erupt from the students when they are told they’re going to receive a free copy of my book. Yes, I will discount the books even more depending on volume and I have also waived my expenses if this helps your school get to the magic number it needs.
If we’d like the local media to cover your speaking event do you have a bio sheet we can send to our local media?
A. Yes. I’d be happy to send my bio to your school’s media representative and will gladly stay afterward to be interviewed by your local reporter. Photos of me with students and teachers are also encouraged.
If you have a specific question feel free to email me at paul@thedayihitahomerun.com. I look forward to inspiring your bright students.
