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BIOGRAPHY
Born July 31, 1930.
Taught by Mom, Sally, began reading easy books.
Had rheumatic fever at 8 and spent 3 months in bed. Did lots of reading and dreaming. First thoughts of becoming a writer.
Went through poetry period. Sent stuff to school newspaper. Hid my writings from my Mom.
Average student in high school, excelled in writing.
Brooklyn College, 1947. Proved I could not do chemistry, calculus. On leave since 1948.
US Army, Germany, 1951-53.
1954: Married Claire Medney, who later became my best editor and literary agent. She made me happy and was the mother of Heidi in 1962 and Roger in 1967.
Advertising copywriter from 1957 to 1969. Polished my writing and learned discipline.
1970: became fulltime writer.
RANSOM: adult novel, 1971
CHOCOLATE FEVER: 1972
SADIE SHAPIRO'S KNITTING BOOK: adult novel, 1973
SADIE SHAPIRO IN MIAMI: adult novel, 1977
SADIE SHAPIRO, MATCHMAKER: adult novel, 1979
JELLY BELLY: 1981
JANE'S HOUSE: adult novel, 1982
THE WAR WITH GRANDPA: 1984
MOSTLY MICHAEL: 1987
BOBBY BASEBALL: 1989
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL: 1990/2008
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I regularly visit schools in Westchester, Putnam, New Jersey, Long Island, New York City and I love it. I talk to kids in grades 2 to 6 who read my books: CHOCOLATE FEVER, JELLY BELLY, THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, MOSTLY MICHAEL, BOBBY BASEBALL and THE SQUEAKY WHEEL. I answer their questions, tell them how to become better writers, and try to turn them on to reading. I autograph their books and try to make kids' time with me memorable. Lately I've begun having lunch with selected kids or many teachers. After twenty years, I'm good in a school!
I'm pleased to announce the reissue of my award-winning children's book, THE SQUEAKY WHEEL, which you can find at amazon.com, barnes&noble.com or iuniverse.com.
How did you begin writing for children?
By accident, and because of my daughter, Heidi. A bedtime story I was making up for Heidi began to grow and grow. Good stories do that, you know. At Heidi's urging I wrote the story and it became CHOCOLATE FEVER, one of the two books of mine that sold over a million copies. So I thank my seven-year-old daughter for getting me started.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Since I was eight years old and read the first book that made me cry. That book got me hooked on reading, and also led me to think that writing books was a fine thing to do with my life. I didn't know then that it would take me more than thirty years to see print, and I had no idea what kind of writer I'd be. But that's when my dreams began.
Where do you get your ideas?
I go to the A & P, ask for a dozen good ideas, and take them home in a paper bag. I wish it were that simple. Ideas come from life, from things that happen to me or people I know. JELLY BELLY came from being the fattest kid in fifth grade. THE WAR WITH GRANDPA came from my son, Roger, who told me he loved his room and "never wanted to live anywhere else." So, naturally, I wrote a story about a boy who is forced to give up his room. MOSTLY MICHAEL was written for some fifth greaders who asked me to write about an average kid "who doesn't like school a lot." The better the idea, the stronger the book.
Why do you write funny books?
You may as well ask why I have brown eyes. Humor is a big part of me, perhaps because I find life hard to get through without looking on the funny side. But humor is not why I write, it's kind of a side dish that comes with the main course. More important for me is that my work projects warmth, love, compassion, and a feeling of family.
(more of the Interview on the 'Books' page)
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