Interview and FAQ
Where did you grow up? Everywhere. My father was a soil scientist and we moved a lot. I was born in Ketchikan Alaska, but we lived in many places - Oregon, Wisconsin, Utah, and Nevada. We often lived far from town, by a lake or in the woods. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents in their very old house that had no running water, only an outhouse. They were biologists who studied birds so we had owls, hawks and eagles in and around the house. It was a very exciting place to grow up.
What are your hobbies? I love traveling, reading, gardening, and yoga. My husband and I travel a lot. My travels give me ideas for my writing and illustrations. We plan to walk across England on our next trip. Reading is one of my favorite ways to explore. I can disappear into any time and place with a good book.
How long does it take to make a book? A long time. It takes me several months to research and write the first draft of a manuscript. Then I rewrite until I am happy with it. Next, I work on rough pencil illustrations for a few more months. If I am lucky and a publisher wants to publish my book, it takes a couple of years to go through every step of editing the manuscript and painting the final illustrations before I have the actual finished book in my hands.
What Can I do to become a writer or illustrator? Practice writing and drawing. Write or draw every day! Also read, read, read and look at beautiful art. Experiment and try new things. Have hobbies and interests that fill you with interesting experiences. Your skills as a writer and artist will grow out of the things you love doing.
What were your favorite subjects in school? Science and history. My interest in these subjects finds its way into many of my stories. I never had an art class in school, but I drew on my own a lot.
How did you get interested in writing and illustrating? I've loved drawing from as early as I can remember. My mother painted and that exposed me to art. I especially loved drawing birds from life and dinosaurs from my imagination. Writing came later for me. I think my love of reading finally led me to want to write my own stories.
What other jobs have you had? I volunteered on a dinosaur dig and an archeology dig when I was young. Then I had a job as a geologist for the Forest Service. I wanted most to paint. I started designing note cards and bookmarks to get started. That led to painting for galleries and finally writing and illustrating children’s books, which I love best!
