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Well, before writing became all-consuming, I was a quilter, like Hattie and Perilee. I don’t do that anymore, but I do knit, garden and watch the birds in my backyard. I also take lots of walks, do yoga and talk my husband into taking me out to dinner as often as possible.
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Remember picture books are the closest form of writing to a poem. Even though they don't have to rhyme, they must be poetic. They must be written so the worst actress can read with comfort and expression.
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If I ruled supreme, there would be big problems.
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The year has held its ups and downs for me; I'm sure it has for you, too. I'm counting on the year ending on a note of joy (and gingerbread!) and look forward to a new year brimming with promise and peace.
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Why did I keep hitching myself to dreams as big as that Montana sky? I was like Rooster Jim's chickens, with no way to fly that high.
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The lessons this life has planted in my heart pertain more to caring than crops, more to Golden Rule than gold, more to the proper choice than to the popular choice.
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Our actions make the fragrance of our lives...Would you smell of plums? Or Vinegar?
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The truth can both lift up and knock down.
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Hattie.' Grace patted my arm. 'My cows sing better than you do.
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Why couldn't I be more like other girls my age? Take Mrs. Brown's niece. She spent every waking hour sizing up this beau or that, stitching tea towels and petticoats and putting aside a little each month for a set of Spode Buttercup dishes.
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It's the company, not the cooking, that makes a meal.
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I have an office in my house, with a comfy red print reading chair and a soft cream-colored desk. After I walk Winston the Wonder dog and have my breakfast, I head to my office. Every single day. Sometimes, when I'm working on revisions, I print off my manuscript and go to a coffee shop to work. But mostly you can find me in my office.
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The wren and the nightingale sound nothing alike, but think how dull the world would be without the songs of both birds.-Miss Kanagawa.
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Life was like a batch of biscuits without the baking powder: flat, flat, flat.
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When someone is working hard on something, that always connects with people, no matter what the differences in generations are.
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Sir if I was your daughter I would wait until this train started again and throw myself in front of it!
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I absolutely love writing and sharing my enthusiasm with students, and because of 'Hattie Big Sky,' Montana holds a special place in my heart.
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My bounce-around life had taught me that dreams were dangerous things - they look solid in your mind, but you just try to reach for them. It's like gathering clouds.
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I was overwhelmed by how military families felt supported and honored by 'Nubs.'
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In a novel, you have space to develop a character or a scene. You don't have that luxury in a 700-800-word picture book.
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It seems the misfortune of one can plow a deeper furrow in the heart than the misfortune of millions.
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After writing two books featuring amazing dogs, I decided to be owned by one.
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I've always been a bookworm. As I mentioned, I moved around a lot, and one of the problems with being the new kid is it takes a while to make new friends. But I always had my books.
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I wanted to use my writing skills to bring attention to the overwhelming needs of the Gulf coast region.