Fall 2008 Contributors
Such amazing talent, and it's all right here...
THANKS TO THE MANY freelance children's writers who dared to send their work to a brand new publication. We're a tough team to satisfy, but these folks shed new light on "old" subjects to help us produce a kids' history e-zine we can really shout about.
Kirsten Carlson, Illustrations for One Day in History and Word Play ~If there's one person on the planet who loves to combine art, animals, and science, it's award-winning illustrator Kirsten Carlson. Kirsten studied marine biology in California, traveled to Antarctica to explore underwater (brrr!), and now lives in Gig Harbor, Washington. She has illustrated two books for children, Ocean Seasons and the recently released Sea Secrets: Tiny Clues to a Big Mystery.
Nick Edwards, Pod Puzzle: "The Wreck of the Andelana" ~Nick Edwards is an actor and improviser in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Western Washington University in 2006 where he received a BA in Theatre Arts (as well as minors in Film Studies and Latin). Nick is an active member of The Beta Society and in the ensemble of Jet City Improv. He has performed with various theaters in the Puget Sound Region including ArtsWest, Wing-It Productions, Theater Schmeater, Ghostlight Theatricals, GreenStage, and Northwest Playwrights Alliance.
Mindy Hardwick, What is That?: "Pigs at the Market" ~Mindy Hardwick is a children's writer who lives in Lake Stevens, Washington. Mindy often draws on art for writing inspiration, especially art which gives back to a community such as Rachel the Market Pig! Mindy is a frequent school and library presenter. She teaches educators about writing for children through Seattle Pacific University's SPIRAL program.
Susan Langraf, Word Play: "Rain Talk" ~Poet Susan Landgraf teaches at Highline Community College in Seattle, Washington. Her poem "Rain Talk" is part of a children's poetry collection she wrote after receiving a special grant from Jack Straw Productions. A lover of adventure, Susan spent her spring and summer in China, teaching at Jiao Tong University.
Sharon Mentyka, One Day in History: "Capture at Penn Cove" ~Sharon Mentyka is a native New Yorker with a BFA degree from Pratt Institute, New York. Her heroine is Eloise, the scandalous child creation of Kay Thompson who lives in the Plaza Hotel near Central Park. Sharon is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing for children and young adults from the Whidbey Writers Workshop while making her living as a graphic designer and faculty member in Visual Communications at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.
Deborah Rubin Fields, Making History: "Washington's Goodwill Ambassador" ~Based in Jerusalem, Israel, Deborah Rubin Fields is an accomplished educational children's writer. She writes for the Educational Testing Service and her articles have appeared in such youth magazines as the Jerusalem Post, Young and Alive, Challenge, Vegetarian Baby and Child, Shofar, and Turtle.
Joni Sensel, Notorious NWesterners: "Grub for Giants" ~Joni (pronounced "Johnny") Sensel lives on the only paved street in Greenwater, Washington, a tiny community at the knees of Mt. Rainier. She usually has a few dogs in her house, as well as mice in the stove vent, raccoons in the tree, and elk in her yard. When she's not home writing, Joni likes to hike, scuba dive, ride her motorcycle (vroom!), and travel to exotic places like the Sahara Desert. Her two latest children's novels are Reality Leak and The Humming of Numbers.
Kelly Wilson, NW Legends: "How Salmon Finds His Way Home" ~Kelly Wilson is a busy mother, teacher and writer. Kelly has been creating characters and stories since she was in elementary school. She has been teaching for nine years, and currently lives with her husband and two small children in Gladstone, Oregon.