As the oldest of four girls I spent a lot of time reading to escape my bothersome siblings or reading to them for enjoyment. My youngest sister and I have fond memories of the time I read her The Hobbit. We both still love fantasy and her children are now wild Harry Potter fans. Reading was my way of transporting myself to magical places around the world and meeting fascinating people.

In addition to spending endless hours with my three sisters, eleven cousins and babysitting all the kids in the neighborhood, I loved the outdoors and music. I started writing in diaries and journals from the age of eight but never seriously thought about publishing my own writing until I was a teacher. When my first book came out it had one word per page: the board book Let's Go, Feet!

I've lived and traveled in many interesting places and still love to hike, ski, swim, bird watch, and of course - read. As a writer I've learned that every experience you have, every person you meet, every activity that piques your curiosity may one day be turned into a book. So today I continue to read everything I can get my hands on, I sing in the shower, I write every day, and I always follow my curiosity. To be curious is to grow, and that's what life and writing and books are all about.