|
Video Clips |
~TEN FACTS ABOUT ME~
When I was twelve, I was on a game show in Philadelphia called CHALLENGE. I came in third (out of fourth) place and won a camera. The camera never worked.
When I was nine, I was hit by a car, had zillions of surgeries, and spent a LONG time in the hospital. How long? I was in the hospital for every single holiday including my birthday. (Hey, at least I survived to celebrate my next birthday!)
I checked a quarter of a million books out to children when I was a school librarian from 1997-2005. Okay, it was really 350,000 books but doesn't a quarter million sound more impressive?
I have a new series coming out in January 2009 called Katharine the Almost Great. My dream is to have a picture book published. One day! Look for my nonfiction Cheerleading Series in 2010 from Enslow Publishers.
My secret desire is to star in Les Miserables on Broadway, once it comes back to Broadway, that is! When I was on my honeymoon, my husband (Hi, John!) surprised me with tickets to see Les Mis in London. Our tickets were marked "Stalls" and I assumed we were sitting in the mezzanine level. Nope, in London, stalls equal our orchestra! In a strange twist of events, we were invited to the producer's private room during intermission. We never met Mr. McIntosh but I saw his Tony Awards in the bathroom! (Update: This is back on Broadway! I went again in 1/07!!)
I don't eat many veggies. When I was four, my parents tried to make me eat broccoli so I stuffed it down my underwear. Okay, I was seven but don't tell anyone! (For the record, I LOVE fruit!)
I love to read, write (obviously!), decorate cakes, scrapbook, go to Disney, garden, and buy picture frames by the dozen. I have frames all over my house. Most of them have my kids (Hugs & Kisses to Sarah and Matthew!) in them or one of my 12 nieces and nephews. (A BIG wave to Zach, Alexandra, Sam, Caroline, Elizabeth, Matthew, Julia, Jack, Haley, Alexander, Emmie, and Lea!) Update 4/07: I have another niece: welcome sweet baby Addison!!!! Their names often appear in my stories!
I am terrified of cats, centipedes, mice, and The New Jersey Turnpike. Yep, all true. (But the Garden State Parkway gets two thumbs up!) Update 12/06: If I come to your school, I have the most- um- oddest centipede story to share with you. I can sum it up in one word...GROSS!
I won $10,000 in a church raffle. Cha-Ching! (Have you ever won anything? Go to CONTESTS and enter mine. Good luck!)
My favorite drinks are tea and Pepsi. Both of them remind me of my grandmother. We used to drink tea together all the time. She believed that tea could make you feel better if you were sad or sick. She was right! She drank a lot of Pepsi, too! To my five brothers and sisters and me, she was always Grandmom Vera. For some reason, when we had children of our own, they called her Grandmom Pepsi. She died three years ago. The next time you drink a cup of tea or a can of Pepsi, think of all the ways your grandmother is special to you.
I worked at James Salt Water Taffy on the Atlantic City Boardwalk when I was a kid. Guess who worked there for 35 years and got me the job? If you said Grandmom Pepsi, you may pass go and collect 200 dollars.
I think a famous author thought I was stalking him. He wouldn't come and do an author's visit at my school. If I ever meet you in person, I'll tell you who it is.
I come from a family of teachers. My parents (Hi, Mom and Dad!) are retired. My mom taught for 27 years and my dad was a Principal and Superintendent of Schools. My parents are two smart cookies. Maybe that's why they discovered the broccoli in my underwear so quickly. My two sisters (Hi, Tracy! Hi, Karen!) are teachers, too. In fact, I have lots of aunts and uncles, cousins, and a brother-in-law who teach as well. UPDATE 3/07: My Brother-in-Law just became principal of his school. Congrats, Ken! Oh, and John (my husband) is a sixth grade teacher in the same school district as me. In 1993, my mom was named Teacher of the Year in her school and I was named Teacher of the Year in mine. We were both teaching first grade (200 miles apart) at the time and The Atlantic City Press sent a reporter to interview us. How cool is that? Want to see a picture? Click here.
I love to write stories that will make kids laugh. Guess which part of the writing process is my favorite part? REWRITING! I don't mind getting notes from my editors because I enjoy the challenge of tweaking a scene so it's "just right." Editors are very wise people!
When I was in grammar school, I was HORRIBLE in math. Now? I'm a math whiz! I can tell you what 2,465 X 78,412 equals in 2.2 seconds.
Welllll...I've been known to exaggerate a bit about my math ability. I'm NOT a math whiz...not even close! You probably already knew that, huh? Did my Ten Facts About Me list- filled with sixteen facts- give it away??