Can you tell us a bit about your book and what inspired you to write it? My book is a fun rhyming story about the adventures of an adorable sock after he jumps out of the wash! I wrote the story in memory of my brother, who passed away in 2012. My brother, Sammy, had an infectious laugh, incredible kindness and was everybody’s best friend. His zest for life is reflected in Sammy the Sock’s adventures.
Where are you from? I am from East Brunswick, New Jersey and now live in North Jersey.
What do you do with yourself beside writing? I am a school library media specialist in 6 elementary schools. I spend my days encouraging my students to find the right books to help them fall in love with reading. I also love going on all kinds of fun adventures with my husband and two young children!
When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? I've always enjoyed children's literature. When I was young I loved reading fun kids books and I never grew out of it! I turned that into a career by becoming an elementary school librarian and took that love one step farther by writing my own book.
What is your favourite book? My favorites have to be anything by Mo Willems, especially his Elephant and Piggie series! They’re such lovable characters and the books are enjoyable for all ages-no matter how many times you read them!
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have? I have one more completed manuscript and lots and lots of ideas!
What does literary success look like to you? Success means my stories being bedtime favorites. If my characters help children fall in love with reading, then I am successful.
What did you edit out of this book? I learned a bit about rhyming when editing Sammy the Sock. I became cognizant of making sure that everything in my story was there for a reason, not just because it conveniently rhymed. For example, it didn’t add anything for my character to be eating a peach on the beach, so we edited that out of the story.
What is your writing Kryptonite? Editing because I can be so indecisive!
Have you ever gotten reader’s block? I frequently wander around the library (and my bookshelves!) constantly changing my mind about what I want to read. It’s so hard to make a decision and I end up spending a lot of my reading time just deciding what to choose!
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Yes, my book holds some little details that are very special to me, but most readers likely wouldn't notice. My illustrator was incredible incorporating these special things into her work. The illustration of Sammy the Sock's house is actually my childhood home in East Brunswick, NJ. The flowers in front of the house are the same kind that my brother planted there many years ago which still bloom every spring. She also included my husband and children's initials in the call numbers on the spine labels of the books in the library scene and a newspaper for my sister, who is a newspaper editor. My parents both passed away recently and they both make appearances in the book as well.
What is your favorite childhood book? As a child I loved reading Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitter's Club series. I was so excited when they recently adapted it into graphic novels and re-released the chapter books because now all of my students are loving the characters and series too! It's so much fun to revisit the stories with them!
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? Editing is tough because you feel like you're letting go of some words or ideas. You have to have faith that the changes you're making are helping improve the story, but that's difficult sometimes!
Does your family support your career as a writer? My family encouraged me to begin writing. They've been my test-readers, editors, sounding board and, most importantly, my cheering squad throughout the process of publishing my first book.
