I’ve loved books since I was small. I read them under my desk at school. I read them under the covers at night. I read them in the car and on the bus and while I walked around my house.
Even when I got “too old” for children’s books, I never left them entirely. I’d visit the children’s section of the library or bookstore and read as much as I could — even when I was in college and out of school.
Now, I write for adults during the day and for kids at night. And in between, whenever I have a moment to spare, you’ll still find me reading whichever children’s book is at the top of my stack.
So far, I’ve sold three stories to Highlights magazine. That was a thrill, because I read that magazine every time I visited the dentist office as a child. It was the only good thing about going there!
I’ve also received letters of commendation for the Barbara Karlin Grant two years in a row. This is an award presented by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators to unpublished picture book writers.
I’m still trying to decide if coming oh-so-close two years in a row is encouraging or discouraging. I guess it just means I’m consistent.
If you’d like to know more, here’s an interview I did with Sarah Mullen Gilbert on her blog, The Writing Cave.