Writing is an odd thing. When you graduate, finding a job isn't necessarily the next natural progression. For many of us, it's trying to complete a manuscript and finding either an agent or publisher. During our intense time together we bonded and learned to trust each other with our writings. We learned to give comments, advice, and suggestions in a nurturing way. We learned to be each other's biggest supporters. There are days, still, when an alum will send me a message and say, "Hey, did you see this article on octopuses?" or "Did you see that this agent is interested in giant squids?" remembering a workshopping session where I submitted my octopus manuscript.
The middle of July each year brings a favorite event for me, Alumni Weekend at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, where in 2009 I received my MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults. I look forward to it for a variety of reasons. Writing can be a very lonely activity and this is a chance for some camaraderie with a group of people who have gone through the same program, and understand the same struggles I am experiencing now that we are out on our own.
Writing is an odd thing. When you graduate, finding a job isn't necessarily the next natural progression. For many of us, it's trying to complete a manuscript and finding either an agent or publisher. During our intense time together we bonded and learned to trust each other with our writings. We learned to give comments, advice, and suggestions in a nurturing way. We learned to be each other's biggest supporters. There are days, still, when an alum will send me a message and say, "Hey, did you see this article on octopuses?" or "Did you see that this agent is interested in giant squids?" remembering a workshopping session where I submitted my octopus manuscript.
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I remember the excitement of visiting the public library as a child. The magic and suspense of reading favorites like The Velvet Room and The Secret Garden tugged at my imagination. Biographies of George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross allowed me to see the lives of those who came before me and to appreciate their accomplishments. Poetry collections like my favorite The Tall Book of Poems, which I took with me on sleepovers, introduced me to a range of poetry where I could consider how the placement and rhythm of words affected your mood – sometimes bouncy, other times melancholy. Plus, I really loved the way that book felt in my small hands. My goal in writing children’s books, I think, is an attempt to recreate those feelings, those early years of reading books where everything seemed possible.
I received an M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and won the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award from SCBWI. I worked as a Children's Librarian for 20 years and still prefer to read books written for young people. I have two Cavapoo dogs named Prince Albert and Daisy Wu, and a black kitten named Mortimer. I am married and split time between homes with my husband Rod in Dayton, OH and in Cadiz, KY where we enjoy our pontoon boat on Lake Barkley.
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February 2024
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