I wrote my first novel in the sixth grade. It was handwritten (mostly on colored notebook paper) and was called MISCHIEVOUS MARTHA. (I illustrated it, too, complete with captions!) Martha did things that I would have liked to do, but would never have dared. The middle of the book was done in chapter installments in Mrs. Rinear’s sixth grade class, but the beginning and the end were done at home where I had my first writing group. There were just two of us. My best friend, Leslie, was also working on a novel and we would sit in her living room and up in her tree house for hours brainstorming ideas and writing away!
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I have been writing ever since I could pick up a pen. I’m sure my family wished they could have taken away that pen sometimes, because my first stories were usually about them, and they weren’t always portrayed in the most favorable light! My parents were both teachers, so I always had plenty of book supplies. I put together reams of paper with my little red stapler.
When I was finished with my book, I wrote to Judy Blume and told her all about it! I was absolutely thrilled when she wrote back. She gave me my first bit of professional writing advice. She told me to keep it (don’t ever throw away your hard work!) and to never stop writing. The school librarian had a special section in the library where she proudly displayed the letter!
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