My Story
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In short, my life story could read this way: Soon after I was born, I picked up a pencil and started writing. And I’ve never stopped…
The longer story would read this way:
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I grew up (and still live, actually) in Missouri—just like Auggie in The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky. I grew up before the Internet, when my summer vacations were all about spending hour after hour with piles of books under shade trees. I’ve always loved to read. I had to have a new Little Golden Book (picture books sold in an aisle of toys) every time I went to the supermarket with my mom.
I can’t remember when I actually started writing stories. I do remember making up story after story with the dolls in my dollhouse. I also used to act out wild tales with my brother, while taping them with a small recorder. And I had a child-sized rolltop desk, where I wrote books and illustrated them. Writing at my desk was my all-time favorite thing to do.
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This is one of my mom's favorite early "stories," about a kicking machine that kicks you when you're mad at yourself...
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Another early story, this one illustrated, about a rabbit searching for his next meal. (He did live "happily ever after" with that full belly of his...)
Writing has always been part of my life. And I was always very serious about it. I know that when I was about eight or nine, I wrote to some of my favorite authors, asking for advice. Now that The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky is about to be in the world, I’ve got some advice of my own. If you love to write as much as I did when I was younger, click on over to “Tips.”