WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

LAURA PURDIE SALAS

Photo courtesy: Katherine Warde

I’m really excited about today’s Will Write for Cookies guest because she is not only a multi-published author, but also a great resource for those of us who want to get our foot in the publishing house door and for parents and teachers as well.

According to Laura, she is terrible at small talk, great at reading, and pretty good at word games. She is also the author of more than 120 books for kids and teens, including WATER CAN BE…, A LEAF CAN BE… (Bank Street Best Books, IRA Teachers’ Choice, Minnesota Book Award Finalist, Riverby Award for Nature Books for Young Readers, and more), and BOOKSPEAK! POEMS ABOUT BOOKS (Minnesota Book Award, NCTE Notable, Bank Street Best Book, Eureka! Gold Medal, and more). She loves to introduce kids to poetry and help them find poems they can relate to, no matter what their age, mood, and personality. She has also written numerous nonfiction books.

I’m thrilled to welcome you here, Laura…thank you so much for participating. I know everyone is excited to find out more about you!

ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

LAURA: I don’t remember the specific books I read when I was the age that most of my readers are now (1st-3rd grade). I inhaled books so quickly that they just flowed right through my life. And I definitely wasn’t aware of authors and illustrators until I was older–upper elementary or even junior high. I loved Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, some Raggedy Ann and Andy chapter books, Nancy Drew mysteries, riddle books, the John Bellairs suspense books, and some books about a brother and sister who traveled around the world and through time. But as the youngest of four kids, I just read whatever was in the house and on the library shelves. I was not a discriminating reader. I just wanted to devour books.  Continue reading →