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| KarleenT.com |
I have been interested in sharing my ideas through writing ever since I was a child. My writing career began with
the launch of The East 115th Street News, a one page newsletter reporting the happenings on our street. My
friend and I went door to door asking for news. Then we banged it out on a manual typewriter, using carbon
paper to make the copies. No wonder this summer project lost its novelty after just a few issues.
In high school, I launched a weekly newsletter for our marching band. The publication was called The Band Aid
and by this time we moved along the technology time-line to electric typewriters, using mimeograph to make
the copies.
My love for writing was clouded by writing for college classes, but later as I was raising my children and reading
to them, I often commented, "I could write something better than this." Ideas began to develop, and
eventually I sat down and wrote my first book, A Monster Ate My Bangs, an early-reader chapter book.
I joined the Florida Writers Association in 2004, which has been an immense help in developing my writing
skills. That year, A Monster Ate My Bangs won 2nd place in the Juvenile division of FWA's Royal Palm Literary
Awards. Two other books were RPLA finalists in 2010.
In 2009, and again in 2011, I won a generous scholarship to the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop, a
conference I highly recommend to people interested in writing for children. I also joined the Society of Children's
Book Writers & Illustrators and co-launched a new SCBWI critique group locally.
Currently I write almost every day, working primarily on middle grade chapter books and articles for children's
magazines. In 2010 I became interested in the e-format and the new opportunities it gives to authors. That led
me to create my popular blog, KidsEbookBestsellers.com.
Favorite authors: Bill Bryson, Thomas Hardy, Jack Canfield.
Favorite genres: Middle grade fiction, classics, success-oriented self help.
Favorite books on writing: Stephen King, On Writing, Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, Carolyn See, Making a Literary
Life, and my dictionary!
the launch of The East 115th Street News, a one page newsletter reporting the happenings on our street. My
friend and I went door to door asking for news. Then we banged it out on a manual typewriter, using carbon
paper to make the copies. No wonder this summer project lost its novelty after just a few issues.
In high school, I launched a weekly newsletter for our marching band. The publication was called The Band Aid
and by this time we moved along the technology time-line to electric typewriters, using mimeograph to make
the copies.
My love for writing was clouded by writing for college classes, but later as I was raising my children and reading
to them, I often commented, "I could write something better than this." Ideas began to develop, and
eventually I sat down and wrote my first book, A Monster Ate My Bangs, an early-reader chapter book.
I joined the Florida Writers Association in 2004, which has been an immense help in developing my writing
skills. That year, A Monster Ate My Bangs won 2nd place in the Juvenile division of FWA's Royal Palm Literary
Awards. Two other books were RPLA finalists in 2010.
In 2009, and again in 2011, I won a generous scholarship to the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop, a
conference I highly recommend to people interested in writing for children. I also joined the Society of Children's
Book Writers & Illustrators and co-launched a new SCBWI critique group locally.
Currently I write almost every day, working primarily on middle grade chapter books and articles for children's
magazines. In 2010 I became interested in the e-format and the new opportunities it gives to authors. That led
me to create my popular blog, KidsEbookBestsellers.com.
Favorite authors: Bill Bryson, Thomas Hardy, Jack Canfield.
Favorite genres: Middle grade fiction, classics, success-oriented self help.
Favorite books on writing: Stephen King, On Writing, Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, Carolyn See, Making a Literary
Life, and my dictionary!