To me, family is everything. I want children to realize how important their families are and what a support system a family is.

Outside of family, writing is essential. To me, it's like breathing.

All of my books are based in some way on my personal experiences, or the experiences of members of my family, or the stories kids would tell me in school.

Everything in my life affects my writing. There are no separate parts of my life.

I want to see children curled up with books, finding an awareness of themselves as they discover other people's thoughts. I want them to make the connection that books are people's stories, that writing is talking on paper, and I want them to write their own stories. I'd like my books to provide that connection for them.

I loved teaching. It was my world. I only left because I was overwhelmed with three careers - teaching, writing, and my family.