Children's author teacher of creative writing (adults,children and mixed-age groups); author visits, residencies, conferences, after-dinner speaker, workshops for teachers and librarians

fiction and non-fiction (see www.yvonnecoppard.co.uk for details)

I have been running Speaking of Books since 1998 and over that period of ten years Yvonne Coppard has worked with us on a regular basis.

She has visited schools and spoken at Conferences all over the country. I've never known her to be anything other than truly professional. She's never let us down for a visit and I've never received a complaint about her performances. I'd have no hesitation in recommending her to any organiser wishing to set up a book-related event.

Director, Speaking of Books, London

I should like to support the application of children's writer Yvonne Coppard for work in schools and festivals for Artscape.

I have been a long time colleague of Yvonne's both in the Royal Literary Fund and as a fellow writer. I have also acted as an employer for Yvonne on several short fiction courses which I direct in this University. She has run excellent fiction workshops for several years and the students' enthusiasm was boundless. Her efficiency and intellectual acumen was tempered by her grace and accessibility.

In my role as Advisory Fellow for the Royal Literary Fund I mentored Yvonne for 2 years when she was a RLF Writer Fellow first at Anglia Ruskin University then at Essex University. I found her to be absolutely reliable, an exceptional leader, a fine team player, with a calm steady sense of humour.

I am delighted to give her the highest reference with no reservations.

Advisory Fellow, Royal Literary Fund Writer in Residence University of Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge