An Excellent Question

I've been answering questions for hours.


Kris Quinn Christopherson has graciously offered to interview me for a feature in an upcoming Stories for Children ezine article (sfcmagazine.com). I'm glad I said yes. Her questions are thought provoking in the best way.


I find it especially enjoyable to reflect on the writing process and to share my love of stories, especially my love for middle grade and young adult fiction, with others.


Here's one of her clever questions along with my response.

Q: When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

As a young reader, I found a shelf at the library that held chapter books that were fictionalized biographies of great Americans. I’m pretty sure I read them all. 

End papers for an Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators mystery.

I loved the Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators series and saved my money to buy them one by one at a local bookshop called Boreen Books. 

I borrowed The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and The Hardy Boys books from friends. And of course we all checked out Judy Blume novels, though that meant waiting patiently for our turn at the school library. 

There were three adventure books that I reread often: Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain, Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, and David Kherdian’s It Started with Old Man Bean. I hadn't realized until now that these three novels are adventure stories where the heroes survive in the wild on their own. 

I'll probably contribute to the genre myself someday. Possibly soon.

Then in sixth grade I found Stephen King and J.R.R. Tolkein, and that was pretty much the end of my children’s lit days.

A Task

Having finished the final design work and proofing of S.P.O.T.D. volume 2, I've set before myself the task of rereading volume 1, followed by a similar read of volume two in its (hopefully) finished form.

It should be a lovely day.

Although it's hard to "let go" of the writing and not re-edit in my head as I read, I truly love the story and characters and usually get wrapped up in it like a reader even when I'm supposed to be objectively distanced.

I can predict the distractions that will rear their heads: a new Netflix DVD sitting on the counter, the urge to sew up a new duvet cover (fabric from Mood in NYC), my former student Kristen Brown's memoir, Spider Solitaire, and a recipe from my new Taste of Home Heartwarming Soups cookbook (it's raining).

Friends in High Places

It turns out that former colleague Connie Stennis is buds with Betty Horvath, veteran writer of children's books. Connie shared SPOTD volume 1 with Betty recently. I was touched by Betty's succinct and kind response:

I think kids will love this. She has captured the voice and lingo of 6th graders and it should sell like hot cakes. Good luck to Ann Wachtler.

Betty's work reminds me of the books I loved to check out from the public library as a child. Doesn't the cover artwork take you back? I love that in this particular text, there is a treehouse with a ladder, dog, cat, and three friends... Very SPOTD.