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Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing children’s books?
Well, I discovered the 12-year-old in me still ''lives'' so that helps and since ''The Hardy Boys'' and ''Nancy Drew'' were some of my favorite mysteries as a kid I figured kids today should have that same opportunity.
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What inspired your first story, and what inspires you now?
Curiosity...what if...then what... The Mosquito Creek Detective Club began as an adult mystery based on a young schoolteacher and her first job in a smalltown, but only the characters of seven kids in her class came to me, so I went with it...
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Do you focus on a particular age group or genre in children’s literature?
Middle Grade/Young Teen/YA as those who impressionable years for me and for my kids too.
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Which authors or books influenced your writing journey the most?
Agatha Christy for sure...
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What do you enjoy most about writing for children?
The challenge of making sure my research teaches them something and inspires them - writing for kids these days is making sure I write quality...
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How do you develop your characters and story ideas?
All of my characters have birthdays and a back story and specific motivation so they 'arrive' on the paper as complete as this two-dimensional medium can make them. My greatest compliment was from a young boy who said, "I'd really like to meet these kids."
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Do you collaborate with illustrators, and what is that process like for you?
No - all of my books are chapter books with only some photos for reference.
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What themes or messages do you hope children take away from your books?
Family, loyalty, teamwork, pride in one's self and individuality
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Is there one book you’ve written that holds a special place in your heart? Why?
The Crow Child mainly because that character [born with cystic fibrosis] and other 'sick' children don't get featured as often as they should.
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Where can readers, parents, and teachers find more of your work online?
Any bookseller like Amazon, Barnes & Noble or my website patchworkpublishing.com
