
BBB: What inspired you to become a children's author?
JD: I’ve always loved books and reading. Even before I could read, I held onto a book the way other children held onto a security blanket. Once I learned to read, books opened up a whole new world for me. They inspired me to write down the stories that preoccupied my daydreams. Becoming a mother brought a whole new appreciation for the magic of children’s books. It was the most special time of day for my sons and I when we could sit down and enjoy a good book together. Writing my own stories seemed to be a way to trap time in a bottle. It is a special feeling to create stories that I can share with other children. I hope that they bring great moments of joy for children and their parents to share, as I did with my sons.

JD: I write all the time, though not all of my books are currently on the market. Some are in the progress of being illustrated. Currently, I’m somewhere around 50 books, with new ones being created every day. I’m really enjoying writing for the ebook market. As a teacher, I can appreciate the relevance that technology plays in education in general. Children today are fortunate to have a whole library of wonderful literature at their fingertips. The interactivity adds an exciting dimension to the reading experience. I write with this sort of interactivity in mind, seeing my stories as living, breathing creatures. This really inspires me to continue writing every day in order to keep up with the many possibilities that are out there.

JD: Though I’d written for my family and students’ enjoyment for many years, the very first book that I had published was The Magic Box. It is part of a series in which the freckles are the main characters. The freckles take on a life of their own, morphing into all kinds of things, from the sprinkles on a cake to a freckle-headed triceratops. You can find this series on frecklebox.com.

JD: I enjoy writing adventure stories about children, animals, and creatures. I love the rhythm of rhyme. As a teacher, I feel it is conducive to developing decoding and fluency skills. Plus, it just sounds great. I enjoy infusing humor into my stories, too. I was a comic in a previous lifetime and my humor is evident in all that I write.

JD: I hope that my stories send a message to children that it is okay to be yourself. I want to inspire children to appreciate their unique differences and to value the differences of others.

JD: I am always working on more books. That’s what’s great about the ebook market. It moves quickly and I can keep creating new adventures.