Little Kids Are Amazing. They

I Never Thought About Writing. I Was Married Young, I Was Still In College, As We Did Then, And I Had Two Babies Before I Was 25, And I Loved Them, And I Loved Taking Care Of Them, But I Was A Little Bit Cuckoo, Staying At Home And Not Having A Creative Outlet.

The Parent Reads The Book. The Kid Reads The Book And Then They Can Talk About The Characters Instead Of Talking About Themselves. You Know There's A Connection Even If You Don't Talk About It When You Read The Same Books.

[with "summer Sisters" The Publisher] Sent Me On A Big Book Tour. And It Was The Most Wonderful Professional Experience Of My Life. I Mean It Was Like Kleenex On Every Table Wherever I Was, Friends Patting Friends On The Back And They'd Cry And I'd Cry.

My Characters Live Inside My Head For A Long Time Before I Actually Start A Book. They Become So Real To Me, I Talk About Them At The Dinner Table As If They Are Real. Some People Consider This Weird. But My Family Understands.

It's Strange, But When It Comes Right Down To It I Never Do Fall Apart--even When I'm Sure I Will.