I'm a one-time vacuum cleaner jockey, but now I'm a children's book writer who can not live without her morning cup of coffee, her MacBook or a stack of books by her bedside. I was born in New York City but have since lived in various US hotspots such as New Jersey, Florida and Kentucky. For the past 20 years I have been based in Europe calling Austria, The Netherlands and Sweden home.
ABOUT ME
Me Riding my Vaccum cleaner (I'd still rather ride it than use it).
I learned to read -- upside down! -- at an early age and this view of the word has stayed with me ever since. My childhood was spent taming my unruly curly hair (and I mean CURLY...and did I mention it was RED?), dancing ballet and writing non-award winning poetry.
When I was young, my literary influences were Judy Blume, Madeline L'Engles, E.L.Koningsburg, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the long forgotten author of the "B is for Betsy" books. Today my literary influences are too numerous and subconscious to name.
With the publication of “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister”, I realized my dream to become a published children’s book author – a dream that started to take shape when my daughter was born and I was reunited with my favorite children’s books. My books have since gone on to win awards but, more importantly, the hearts of young readers. I'm excited that the next two years will bring forth four new titles - Painting Pepette (June 2016), Little Red Riding...Sheep (2017), Wakey, Wakey Elephant (2017) and two books starring globe-trotting Ellie - The Queen is Coming to Tea and Royal Baby.
Here are my many homes
many of the books i loved growing up were either funny or full of muschief and adventure. sort of l ike the books i write today.
See? I had really Red Curly Hair but my Bunny, cookie, had straight hair.
When I'm not writing (which, face it, is most of the time), I spend my days as head of communications for a children's right organization based in Stockholm. I love photography, making pottery, reading, biking, chasing tennis balls on the court, and traveling.
I now live in Uppsala, Sweden -- home of one of the world's oldest Universities -- in a 150 year old apartment with six "kakelugn"s (google it!). As a New Yorker living in Uppsala, I'm thankful for the English Bookstore, my neighborhood hang-out.
i like cake. Most of my books feature sweets- Candied violets, wedding cake, lime jelly, lemon bundt cake, tea cakes. I give you permission to have cake while you read my books.
THIS IS MY BIG SISTER, GAIL. SHE TAUGHT ME TO READ.
That's me in bookstore window in amsterdam!
