What is the best and worst advice you were given when you started in children’s literature?
Best: Subscribe to the SCBWI newsletter! (It was a newsletter only, back then.)
As you know, those who are in children’s literature tend to have lengthy discussions on the important topic of snacks (usually it’s a baked good). What’s your favorite snack?
Pumpkin bread
What are you most looking forward to about being part of the 2011 SCBWI faculty?
Giving back to an organization that helped me keep my spirits up and feel oriented in the business when I was just starting.
Attendees are often nervous to meet faculty at a conference. What, if anything, makes you nervous about being part of the faculty?
Critiques are always challenging for me. I want to be delicate with work that someone has spent hours and hours — or even years — working on; and yet, if I don’t push and challenge the person, I am not being helpful. It’s hard to find the best balance.
What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?
I like when I write a scene and it comes out good, and I’m not sure how that happened. I like seeing artwork for the first time. The business parts of my job I don’t much like. I hate going to the post office and booking travel!
What do you most want our attendees to know about you?
I’m from Seattle!