Biography
Dee Hahn began writing when her three children begged for bedtime stories, and she never stopped. Her debut middle grade novel, The Grave Thief, won the R. Ross Annett Award for Children's Literature and was a finalist for the CCBC Jean Little First-Novel Award. Her picture book, The Explorers, will be released in summer 2026.
When Dee isn't writing, you can find her teaching, kayaking, herding her ducks and eating muffins. She lives with her family, a wily dog and a flock of rebellious ducks in Foothills, Alberta.
Dee is available for both virtual and in-person visits starting in late September. She prefers to stay in Southern Alberta, but will travel for multiple day bookings.
Presentations
K-3: How to Write a Mystery
Together, we'll learn how to write a mystery using clues all around us! We'll practice using the five senses, choosing the right creepy words, and how to create a curious setting.
*This is an interactive presentation for K-3 that encourages students to explore creative writing in a fun, collaborative manner.
Grade 4 to 6: Shadows and Screams: The Art of Writing Spooky Stories
This session will cover topics that range from 'setting a spooky scene' to 'bringing your villain to life' as well as the type of language and clues that writers use to build suspenseful plots.
Grades 4 to 6: Creating Catchy Characters
Have you ever thought about a character long after a book or movie has ended? In this session, we'll learn how to create memorable characters that leap off the page. We'll discuss character motivations, fears, likes and dislikes, and 'that little something extra' that gets a character stuck in our head.
Grades 4 to 6: The Grave Thief
This presentation discusses The Grave Thief and how the story was inspired. We'll discuss how story ideas are developed, characters are discovered, and how to write a story that uses your own writing voice, experiences, struggles, and victories. This presentation can include an interactive live trivia 'locked-box' game that is available in in-person sessions.
Grades 7 to 12: Finding Your Writing Voice
In this session, we'll discuss how different authors have learned to develop a distinct voice and style, and how to discover your own. We'll cover different examples of popular writers, discuss my own experiences as an author, and open up different genres to explore, including lyrical writing and spoken word. This session aims to encourage students to practice writing in a fun and interactive environment, explore new ideas, and challenge themselves.
*The virtual version of this session will be slightly modified.
**Teachers, do you have a specific topic or workshop in mind? Reach out to me, and let's see what we can come up with together.
In-Person/Virtual Presentation Fees:
30-minute presentation for K-2: $150
45-minute presentation: $200
100-minutes (3-4 sessions): $550
*Recommended times are 30 minutes for Grades K-3, 45-50 minutes for Grades 4-12
*Audience numbers are flexible, but groups of 40 or less are preferred when choosing the live trivia game session.
Bibliography
Middle grade:
The Grave Thief (Tundra, 2022) Winner: R. Ross Annett award. Finalist: CCBC Jean Little First-Novel Award. Nominated for: Manitoba Young Reader's Choice Awards, Sundogs Awards.
Grave Thief Discussion Guide (pdf)
Picture Books:
The Explorers (Dial Books/Penguin Random House, upcoming summer 2026)
Reviews
Dee Hahn is an absolute delight! Dee didn't just talk to our students, she talked with them and they were totally captivated by her interactive presentation. She is engaging, informative, full of energy, and most importantly, she is fun! Her warm personality lights up the room, and she was most certainly one of the best author visits we ever had.
It was really cool to meet and listen to a real author from my town! It made me want to learn more about writing.
Dee is super creative and her book is probably the best book I've ever read. After hearing about the way she made her book it has inspired me in many ways.