Photo credit: Jen Schulten
Can you recognize kindergarten me?
My Writing Life
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I have been reading and writing poetry since the fourth grade. I love the musical sounds of words in poems--words that make my heart and mind soar, words with rhythm and words that rhyme. Some of my earliest favorite poems were written by A. A. Milne in his poetry collections WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG and NOW WE ARE SIX.
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When I was younger I liked to think about a world filled with magic, and I read lots of stories with talking animals, enchantments and portals to fantastical worlds--books like JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Roald Dahl, THE RESCUERS by Margery Sharp, A CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George Selden and THE BLACK CAULDRON by Lloyd Alexander. Reading takes me all kinds of places I've never been and I meet new friends and new ideas along the way. I still like to believe the world is full of all kinds of magic. Don't you?
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I read books written for children, teens and adults. My list of favorites would fill my whole website! I've been so very lucky to meet and work with lots and lots of wonderful authors and poets, and all of their books are my favorites, too.
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I didn't always know I wanted to be a writer, but I've always been interested in learning about people, science and nature. I studied science in college, and oceanography in graduate school. I also studied social work in graduate school, and then worked with children and families in hospitals and schools. So you could say I studied science, worked with children and families, and now I learn and write about science for children and families!
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I've written articles for print and internet magazines, and have written and edited books for teachers to use in schools. I have also written three middle grade novels. Now I spend most of my time researching and writing science poetry collections.
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When I'm not writing, you'll find me outside exploring nature with my binoculars, hand lens and camera, or collecting specimens to examine under my microscope. I might be off SCUBA diving with my husband or hiking with my pup nearer to home. I love adventures in new places and spending time with my two grown daughters, family, and friends. Of course, you may very well find me right here at home, curled up with a good book!
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