When did you decide to become a writer?
When I was in the 5th grade, I wrote an essay about Theodore Roosevelt. It was entered in a contest and I won first prize for my school. I went to a party at the Theodore Roosevelt House in NYC where I met other winners from other schools in the city. I then wrote an article about the party for the school newspaper. It was such a thrill to see my words and my name in print that I decided that someday I would be a writer. My father thought that this ambition wasn't practical. He suggested that I become a teacher and write in the summers.
Where did you study writing?
I took a children's writing class with Connie Epstein, a retired editor, at Hofstra University and a 2 week summer workshop with children's writer Johanna Hurwitz along with a screen writing class. I also attended the Highlights Foundation Summer Workshop at Chautauqua, the Vassar College Program in Children's Publishing and a private class with Pam Conrad, a great children's writer. I attend writing conferences given by the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators and participate in monthly meetings with the Long Island Children's Writers and Illustrators. Recently i also attended author Brian Heinz's summer writing workshop at Hofstra University. I'm also a member of a critique group that grew out of Connie Epstein's class.
I'm constantly trying to improve my writing skills.
What other jobs have you had?
I was a teacher. I taught kindergarten, nursery school, toddler playgroup, mommy and me and tot playland. I started in kindergarten and worked my way down. My first part time after school job was selling school supplies at a local hardware store. After that I hung up clothes after women tried them on in Alexander's Department store. I worked as a secretary when I was in high school and college. After I left teaching to become a stage mom and help my husband with his computer business, I covered school board meetings for the local newspaper, sold books to libraries and did data entry.
How long have you been writing?
Not counting the fifth grade, I've been writing for about 30 years.
How many children's stories have you written?
I've written about 100 stories for children, but only five have become books.
How many books have you had published?
Five of my stories have been published as books. Some of the others appeared in magazines and collections.
Do you illustrate your own books?
No, I'm not an illustrator. I've taken drawing and painting classes just for fun, but I'm not nearly good enough to illustrate books. I'd rather concentrate on my writing.
Do you pick your illustrator?
No. One of the editor's most important jobs is to select the illustrator he or she feels is right for a particular manuscript.
Do you work with the illustrator?
No. For my latest book Littlest Levine, I didn't find out who the illustrator was until it went to press. I met Shelly Haas, the illustrator of DADDY'S CHAIR at an SCBWI CONFERENCE, but I've only emailed Vicki Jo Redenbaugh, the illustrator of LOTS OF LATKES. I had no contact with Peter Dennis, the illustrator of THE HAPPY HACKERS. I got to see sketches along the way for the two picture books, but I didn't see the finished art for THE HAPPY HACKERS until the book was published. I've been very happy with the illustrations for DADDY'S CHAIR and LOTS OF LATKES. I was a little disappointed with the art for THE HAPPY HACKERS because I felt that the illustrator didn't really draw a messy teenager's room. He probably didn't have any children! The only book I did have impute on the art was for STILL A FAMILY because I hired the illustrator to create the art since I published the book on my own.
Where do you get your ideas?
I get most of my ideas from my life and my family. Sometimes I get the idea from something I read in the newspaper. For example, I wrote DADDY'S CHAIR when my cousin died of cancer at the age of 46, leaving three children, a 15 year old, a 12 year old and a 6 yr old. Their mother asked me to locate books for them. I was able to find plenty of books for the two older children, but could get very little for six-year old Jonathan. I was taking a writing class with Pam Conrad at the time and she helped me with the story. LOTS OF LATKES is based on my extended family. Every year at Hanukkah, the family would gather at my Aunt Irene and Uncle George's house. We would all bring our menorahs and line them up on the dining room table. My Uncle George would lead the singing. He even prepared song sheets. My aunt would make the latkes (my uncle got to peel all the potatoes) and everyone would bring something to eat. I always brought the salad. I started thinking about what would happen if everyone brought the same thing. THE HAPPY HACKER came out of a screen writing class at Hofstra University, but I based the main character on my son, David. The assignment was to write a speech for someone who talked to someone who didn't answer. As the mother of a teenager at the time, I knew what it was like to try to wake up somebody who had been at his computer until very late. WHERE'S THE BUS? part of the SUNSHINE collection, was the result of waiting for the camp bus with my children. When the bus didn't come, we kept making up reasons why it was late. After I drove them to camp, I wrote the story. STILL A FAMILY was a story i wrote for my grand children who were 3 and 1 1/2 at the time my Daughter was going through a divorce. The idea for THE LITTLEST LEVINE had been mulling around for a long time. It was basically from observations of my own children and my nursery school kids--how they couldn't tie their own shoes, reach very high or do much independently. This was coupled with the idea that at the seder, the youngest child
gets to shine.
What are you working on now?
I just finished the picture book LITTLEST LEVINE, and I recently wrote the serious book STILL A FAMILY, about divorce. I'm currently working on a Sukkot book and hospital book for my grandson who was in the hospital recently.
When I was in the 5th grade, I wrote an essay about Theodore Roosevelt. It was entered in a contest and I won first prize for my school. I went to a party at the Theodore Roosevelt House in NYC where I met other winners from other schools in the city. I then wrote an article about the party for the school newspaper. It was such a thrill to see my words and my name in print that I decided that someday I would be a writer. My father thought that this ambition wasn't practical. He suggested that I become a teacher and write in the summers.
Where did you study writing?
I took a children's writing class with Connie Epstein, a retired editor, at Hofstra University and a 2 week summer workshop with children's writer Johanna Hurwitz along with a screen writing class. I also attended the Highlights Foundation Summer Workshop at Chautauqua, the Vassar College Program in Children's Publishing and a private class with Pam Conrad, a great children's writer. I attend writing conferences given by the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators and participate in monthly meetings with the Long Island Children's Writers and Illustrators. Recently i also attended author Brian Heinz's summer writing workshop at Hofstra University. I'm also a member of a critique group that grew out of Connie Epstein's class.
I'm constantly trying to improve my writing skills.
What other jobs have you had?
I was a teacher. I taught kindergarten, nursery school, toddler playgroup, mommy and me and tot playland. I started in kindergarten and worked my way down. My first part time after school job was selling school supplies at a local hardware store. After that I hung up clothes after women tried them on in Alexander's Department store. I worked as a secretary when I was in high school and college. After I left teaching to become a stage mom and help my husband with his computer business, I covered school board meetings for the local newspaper, sold books to libraries and did data entry.
How long have you been writing?
Not counting the fifth grade, I've been writing for about 30 years.
How many children's stories have you written?
I've written about 100 stories for children, but only five have become books.
How many books have you had published?
Five of my stories have been published as books. Some of the others appeared in magazines and collections.
Do you illustrate your own books?
No, I'm not an illustrator. I've taken drawing and painting classes just for fun, but I'm not nearly good enough to illustrate books. I'd rather concentrate on my writing.
Do you pick your illustrator?
No. One of the editor's most important jobs is to select the illustrator he or she feels is right for a particular manuscript.
Do you work with the illustrator?
No. For my latest book Littlest Levine, I didn't find out who the illustrator was until it went to press. I met Shelly Haas, the illustrator of DADDY'S CHAIR at an SCBWI CONFERENCE, but I've only emailed Vicki Jo Redenbaugh, the illustrator of LOTS OF LATKES. I had no contact with Peter Dennis, the illustrator of THE HAPPY HACKERS. I got to see sketches along the way for the two picture books, but I didn't see the finished art for THE HAPPY HACKERS until the book was published. I've been very happy with the illustrations for DADDY'S CHAIR and LOTS OF LATKES. I was a little disappointed with the art for THE HAPPY HACKERS because I felt that the illustrator didn't really draw a messy teenager's room. He probably didn't have any children! The only book I did have impute on the art was for STILL A FAMILY because I hired the illustrator to create the art since I published the book on my own.
Where do you get your ideas?
I get most of my ideas from my life and my family. Sometimes I get the idea from something I read in the newspaper. For example, I wrote DADDY'S CHAIR when my cousin died of cancer at the age of 46, leaving three children, a 15 year old, a 12 year old and a 6 yr old. Their mother asked me to locate books for them. I was able to find plenty of books for the two older children, but could get very little for six-year old Jonathan. I was taking a writing class with Pam Conrad at the time and she helped me with the story. LOTS OF LATKES is based on my extended family. Every year at Hanukkah, the family would gather at my Aunt Irene and Uncle George's house. We would all bring our menorahs and line them up on the dining room table. My Uncle George would lead the singing. He even prepared song sheets. My aunt would make the latkes (my uncle got to peel all the potatoes) and everyone would bring something to eat. I always brought the salad. I started thinking about what would happen if everyone brought the same thing. THE HAPPY HACKER came out of a screen writing class at Hofstra University, but I based the main character on my son, David. The assignment was to write a speech for someone who talked to someone who didn't answer. As the mother of a teenager at the time, I knew what it was like to try to wake up somebody who had been at his computer until very late. WHERE'S THE BUS? part of the SUNSHINE collection, was the result of waiting for the camp bus with my children. When the bus didn't come, we kept making up reasons why it was late. After I drove them to camp, I wrote the story. STILL A FAMILY was a story i wrote for my grand children who were 3 and 1 1/2 at the time my Daughter was going through a divorce. The idea for THE LITTLEST LEVINE had been mulling around for a long time. It was basically from observations of my own children and my nursery school kids--how they couldn't tie their own shoes, reach very high or do much independently. This was coupled with the idea that at the seder, the youngest child
gets to shine.
What are you working on now?
I just finished the picture book LITTLEST LEVINE, and I recently wrote the serious book STILL A FAMILY, about divorce. I'm currently working on a Sukkot book and hospital book for my grandson who was in the hospital recently.
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