Author of over 400 Books for Children and Adults
Q: What was your first book? J: My first book with my name on it was PIRATES IN PETTICOATS, a nonfiction book about women pirates. But–a not so secret secret–my father who was the World Champion Kite Flier, was asked to write THE YOUNG SPORTSMAN’S GUIDE TO KITE FLYING part of a series of books about kids …
Q: What books did you like the most as a child? J: My two favorites were the stories about King Arthur and the two ALICE IN WONDERLAND. I can still (at the drop of a hat or the drop of a strophe) recite The Jabberwocky poem! Q: Follow up Question: Didn’t your parents let you …
Q: What’s the best thing about collaborating with your grown children and now 2 of your grandchildren? J: Getting closer to them, teaching them something, sharing half the money. Q: Follow up Question: How have these collaborations worked? What’s the process like? J: Sometimes a child or grandchild has sent me the start of something …
Q: You have been in a writer’s group (critique group) for how many years? And you meet almost every week. Why has that been important to you in your career? J: My critique group began over 50 years ago and was for published writers from the start. We critique from a very professional stance. But …
Q: What is your first advice for pre-published writers? I mean, after they join SCBWI. What should the do after that? J: Remember first this is both an art form and a business. You have two big learning curves here. If you want to write a book of poems, a novel, a graphic novel, a …
Q: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH REJECTION? J: Every author I know has to (or had to) deal with ejection some time along the way. Even the best known authors have had those moments. But sometimes the book rejected goes on to find its proper place. MY book OWL MOON was rejected as too quiet …
Q: Do you write every day? J: Unless I am sick in bed, YES. I have been writing professionally since the early 1960’s when I sold my first book and my first poems, so it is part of my breathing, and if I am not working on something (or somethings) I feel like a slacker. …
Q: What’s your favorite part about being an author? J: Finishing a book and being happy about it. Or getting a love letter from someone (often a child) who has read it. Q: Follow up question: What about your favorite part of the process? Do you prefer writing or revising? J: While that initial idea …
Q: From From Cindy Dobrez: Does Jane eat Wheaties or where does she get her indefatigable energy? She accomplishes more in a day than most of us in a month/year. J: I haven’t eaten Wheaties for years and years. But I always eat breakfast. My usual is cottage cheese (Lactaid) with some kinds of fruit–usually–berries and …
Q: What is B.I.C.? J: Haha–a joke and yet not a joke. It stands for (another joke) Butt In Chair. It means that if you want to be a writer, you have to have a lot of butt in chair time, hands on the keys time, close and quiet, long hours doing the work. A book …