I first decided that I wanted to be a writer when I was in junior high (middle school in some states) and discovered how much I enjoyed writing. I wrote my first story when I was young, but didn’t get anything published until I wrote The Frog Princess. My earlier stories were science fiction for young children which I may rewrite someday and once again submit for publication.

I wrote The Frog Princess because I decided that I wanted to try writing fantasy and wanted my main character to be a strong princess who could take care of herself and not have to rely on a prince to solve her problems. Remembering the old story of the frog prince, I thought that it would be fun to write about how a princess could solve the problem if she were a frog as well.

Have you based any of your characters on friends or family members?

When I am going to start a new chapter, I like to outline it first, right down to the dialogue, which makes the actual writing much easier. I write at my computer during the day, then print out whatever I have written that day to look at/edit before I go to sleep. I don’t tend to get writer’s block because I give myself mini-breaks and play freecell or solitaire on my computer when I feel as if my brain is beginning to get fried.

Shortly after The Frog Princess was published, Disney opened negotiations to option the book for an animated musical. (Optioning a book means that they are the only ones who can make a movie based on a book within a certain period of time. By the end of that period, they can either: (A) make the movie, (B) renew the option or (C) let the option lapse – thereby losing the right to make the movie.) Disney renewed the option three times, and eventually told me that they were making the movie. Yes, it has different characters and a different setting; Disney had the right to use as much or as little of my story as they wanted. My family and I were invited to attend the movie premier in Burbank, CA in the fall of 2009. What an amazing weekend that was. We walked the green carpet and were able to meet some of the actors. The entire process was a unique experience and it was fascinating being able to see aspects of my book appear in the movie.

Originally the plan was to end the series with 8 books. In 2017 the Frog Princess series celebrated its 15 year anniversary and a new addition to the series was put into the works. The Frog Princess Returns made its debut in June 2017 and I hope you will enjoy revisiting Emma, Eadric and a few old friends for a new adventure which takes place between the stories of Once Upon A Curse and No Place For Magic. The Tales of the Frog Princess in now a completed series. There are 9 books total. A series reading order can be found on the "Books" page of this website.

YES! I have always seen Wings (Fairy Wings) as the first book in a trilogy. I am starting the planning phase of the third and final book in the series. It will be a bit of a time jump between book two and three. I'm excited to finally be able to bring the next installment of Tamisin's story to my readers!

I am absolutely still writing. I have been working on several new projects and hope to have news to share with my readers soon. I've written several full length middle grade books one of which I began back in 2020. They are very different from my previous books and I am very excited about how it's coming together. I've also begun working on several new projects with my adult daughter Kitt. We hope to have news to share on both fronts soon.

I don't belong to any local writing groups. But I am a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) as well as the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA).

For now, yes, I had originally planned to write several more book in this series. I loved the message of these books and the representation in them. But at this time, I don't have additional book in this series on my list of projects. I do hope to one day continue telling Aislin's story.

I read a bit of everything. But some of my standout favorite children's books include (in no particular order) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett The One & Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen Elvira by Margaret Shannon The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett The Borrower's by Mary Norton Adventures of Frog & Toad by Arnold Lobel Adventures of Mole & Troll by Tony Johnston Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame