About the Author (& Children's Librarian)
I was born a long time ago in Kettering, Ohio (look at the clothes; yes, THAT long ago). I have great parents and two sisters (one little and one big…both are bigger than this now) I started writing shortly after this picture was taken. My first story was about a horse that ate a hotdog (it was based on real events). The second was about Superman (that one was made up and mostly plagiarized-I only did that once...I swear!).
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Very early on, my family learned I had little shame when it came to dress up…this would actually come in handy in my future career (which wasn’t a veterinarian like I was planning around the time this picture was taken: I could never give a cat or dog a shot)…
I continued writing. Five years after this picture was taken, I was writing regularly...mostly horror stories and poetry & some got published (and some got me a scholarship to college! So good writing can really get you places...ok, pretty-good writing...better-than-most writing?) |
I went to college for writing at Miami of Ohio and for library science at University of Kentucky. In college I played dress up a little, but you don’t need to see those pictures. When I graduated, I got to put my Master’s Degree to work. It dovetailed nicely with that lack of shame I mentioned.
Did I mention it's a total lack of shame...
But a goofy lack of shame comes in handy at Halloween!
I was on several committees for The American Library Association & the Association for Library Services to Children. Carnegie (picks the best video for kids), Editorial Advisory Committee for the Magazine “Children and Libraries” and two Newbery Committees. I have also written over 1500 book reviews (and counting--yes, I really keep count) for “School Library Journal” “Voice of Youth Advocates” “Horn Book” “Publishers Weekly” and “Kirkus Reviews” (among others believe it or not). I write about 100 reviews a year (mostly for Kirkus...some for VOYA in tandem with teens at my library). And I have met more authors than you can shake a stick at...
...unless you have a bundle of sticks. But don't shake sticks at them...they are nice people.
And living with me has somehow helped Trent to misplace his shame which makes Halloween twice as much fun.
And yet I still find time to write and do storytime!