my story ideas from my children by incorporating our own real-life
adventures and the things they’re most interested in.

Westminster School
PreK - 8 th Grade | Established 1962
What do you love about writing children’s books?
I think the part I have enjoyed the most is challenging myself to
become a better writer, better rhymer and better illustrator in order
to effectively tell a story to children in a way that is captivating and
entertaining. I haven’t gotten to the part where I get to see my book
being enjoyed by the children I created it for, though. I suspect that
will be my new favorite part once I get there.

What does your writing process look like?
I prefer to write in rhyme because I find well-written, lyrical
stories to be the most fun to read. What I’ve realized about myself
is that some days I can rhyme and it comes naturally to me and
some days I simply can’t. (Similarly, I have days I can’t draw a stick
figure, and other days artwork just flows out of me!) So, when I am
able to get into the rhythm of writing in rhyme, I have to get out as
much as I can.

What advice do you have for kids who want to improve
their own writing?
My 8-year-old has shown an interest in writing and is actually excellent
at creatively telling a story. We’ve encouraged him to read ... a lot. The
more he’s read and been exposed to, the better writer he’s become. We
also encourage him to read a lot of different types of books—different
Presenting Challenge - Building Character - Instilling Confidence
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Reston Montessori School
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Montessori Ages 3 months - 6th Grade
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