Q: Did you always want to be a writer?
A: No. I didn't know I wanted to be a writer until I was grown. Writing is actually my third career. I was a dancer first, then a floral designer.

Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: Ideas just seem to pop into my head. I have a lot more ideas than I'll ever be able to use. I'm interested in so many different things - people, feelings, relationships, language, nature, animals, the night sky, everyday life. All I have to do is look around me, and I find things to write about.

Q: When do you get your ideas?
A: I get ideas all the time, but especially when I'm doing laps in the swimming pool.

Q: Where were you born?
A: New York City.

Q: Do you have any pets?
A: We have two cats, Chloe and Fluffy, and a fire-bellied toad named Sticky.

Q: Why do you like to write?
A: I love words. I like trying to figure out how to tell a story that's interesting and exciting. Writing gives me a chance to learn things I never knew before. Every time I write a book, I get to go exploring. Then I get to create a whole new world out of what I've learned.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: Cooking, swimming, hiking, reading, traveling, gardening, movies.

Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Depends on my mood.

Q: What were your favorite books when you were a kid?
A: Winnie the Pooh, The Cat in the Hat, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Goodnight Moon, The Little Red Lighthouse, The Story of Ferdinand, A Wrinkle in Time, The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings.