About the Author

I've counted books among my friends for as long as I can remember. I was born in Santa Monica, California, though that beautiful city is just one of many places I've called home; my family moved ten times before I graduated from high school. Moving so frequently gave me many opportunities to experience new places, meet new people, and make new friends . . . but it could be lonely, too, especially while I adjusted to a new town or school. When I felt homesick for people and places far away, I knew that I could always turn to my books, familiar friends who traveled everywhere I did. Reading so much inspired me to write my own stories and poems, on topics ranging from birds and snowflakes to castles and talking pasta (really!) .Looking back, all that reading and writing was the perfect preparation for my dream job: writing for children and young adults. I moved to New York City for college and after graduating from New York University with a degree in Dramatic Literature, I worked as a children's book editor for five years. Another move - this time with my husband - led me to close my eyes, hold my breath, and take the leap to become a full-time writer. It was the best decision I ever could've made. I've lived in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for five years (that's almost a record for me) with my family, and I thank my lucky stars every day for the good fortune to write for kids and teens. When I'm not writing, I'm . . .Knitting obsessively, just like my grandmother did (if there's a knitting gene, I got it from her) Drinking another pot of teaDoodling on a 3 x 5 index cardAttempting to decipher the cryptic Post-It notes stuck to my deskReading voraciously, especially nonfiction or current eventsCooking vegetarian food (or, more likely, making dessert) Trying to save my garden from a fearless band of marauding squirrelsCuddling with my cat and wrestling with my dogCovering my kids with kisses(copied from the author's website)

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