When I was a child, my favorite books - the ones I read over and over - were: just about anything by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary’s teen love stories, a biography of Helen Keller, and The Hero from Otherwhere by Jay Williams. Q: What are some of your favorite books? I still have my original copy. If I pay attention to the world around me and give my imagination room to run, I find stories and characters all around me. The novel I’m writing now was inspired by a letter I read in the “Dear Abby” advice column in the newspaper. One novel I wrote (not published) began as a writing exercise I did at a writers’ conference. I got the inspiration for More-igami from my own children. Q: Where do you get ideas for your stories?

I still use the advice I read in those articles decades ago. I was elated when I unwrapped it.) And at 17, I started a subscription to Writer’s Digest magazine. At 14, I asked my parents if they would get me the new, hardback Roget’s Thesaurus I had seen at the local bookstore. Me, age 11Įven though I never imagined becoming an author, I always loved words. I remember having planned to be, at one time or another, a veterinarian, attorney, architect, sportscaster, or television producer. When people asked little-kid me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I don’t think I ever said writer. I live in the Atlanta area with my husband, two children, and cute-but-needy Shih Tzu. I’ve been a professional writer for more than 20 years, and I’ve been writing children’s books since about 2009.

More igami by dori kleber