When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
When I was telling my then two-year-old daughter a bedtime story about a little girl who gets a sticker stuck on her tongue. My daughter thought it was funny, (I was talking like Sylvester the Cat throughout most of it!) so I figured the whole world would love it, and the next morning I got up early and wrote Sthicker Tongue-tied. I never did get it published. After over 40 rejections I decided to move on. That story is hidden under the bed somewhere!
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Oh dear, there isn’t enough room on this blogspot! When I couldn’t get Sthicker Tongue-tied published, I decided to try the magazine market. I wrote poems, nonfiction articles (discovered I loved writing nonfiction) and fiction articles as well as puzzle and games, and submitted them to all the different children’s magazines. I had some luck in the magazine market and sold about 30 publications to a variety of magazines like Humpty Dumpty, Jack & Jill, Spider, Cricket, Ladybug and Highlights for Children. In the meantime, I was still writing picture books and after 6 ½ years, 385 rejections and a forest of sloppy copies I landed my first book contract for This Is the Feast, a nonfiction book on the first Thanksgiving. That call came on Nov. 3, 2000, at 2:20 in the afternoon. I can remember like it was yesterday. But because of editor and illustrator changes that book didn’t come out until this year. Yes, eight years after I sold it!! Thank goodness I sold another picture book in 2001 and that book, Bus-A-Saurus Bop, came out in 2003. So all in all, it took 9 1/2 years for my first book to come out. Like I tell the kids at school…that’s a lifetime for you!
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
How to Drive Your Sister Crazy was inspired by my reluctant reader son. I found that fun and humor is the best way to reach kids and this book is lots of fun and is filled with lots of humor.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My own kids and the kids I visit at schools.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I have a daughter, Jenn, who is 16, a son, Sam, who is 15, and a husband, John, who is 49. We also have a cat Pun’kin, who is 9. Guess what color Pun’kin is? Sam and Jenn inspired How to Drive Your Sister Crazy when they were ages 7 and 9. (Sam still drives her crazy, so it’s going to be a series!)
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
ICE CREAM. I just discovered the flavor Chocolate Birthday Cake! YUM, with a capital triple scoop! My sister used to own a Baskin-Robbins. Oh. My. Goodness! Talk about heaven. I used to go and “work” there. Actually I used to go and try all the flavors of ice cream. I loved Jamoca Almond Fudge.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I put on my very comfy slippers, make coffee, and give Pun’kin a treat. (Tuna flavored Pounce is his favorite.)
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
All the different types of pumpkin knick-knacks and fake pumpkins I have collected. I didn’t realize I had so many until I was putting out my fall decorations. I guess that’s why I love orange and have a cat named Pun’kin!
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Orange! Because it is so bright and bold.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Bugs Bunny.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
Elmer Fudd!
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
Oh, that’s a hard one. But one thing I know for sure, it would have to be since indoor plumbing was discovered!
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
I like to listen to 70’s and 80’s music, like Boston, Journey, probably soft rock from that era.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again?
I love anything funny. I especially like The Office. As far as movies, I think one of my favorite it School of Rock. I have seen that many times!
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your readers. What would it be?
Never give up! Find something you love to do and go for it. It took me sooo long to get published, but I believed that I could and I persisted. I’m glad I did. Now I travel across the U.S. visiting school with my lively school visit program inspiring kids to read. I’m so glad I didn’t give up.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I have two more nonfiction picture books coming out. One is titled, This Is the Game about the history of baseball and the other is This Is the Earth, about the environment. I’m also writing more How To Drive Your Sister Crazy books. One is titled Babysitter Blaster and another is Slumber Party Slam Dunk!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at http://www.teensreadtoo.com/!
0 comments:
Post a Comment