About Me

As a writer and presenter, I:

My nonfiction articles have been published in some of the most respected children’s magazines, including APPLESEEDS, CALLIOPE, COBBLESTONE, DIG, FACES, and ODYSSEY.

Although I specialize in writing nonfiction, my short fiction has also been accepted by acclaimed children’s magazines and readers, including HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN, SKIPPING STONES, and THE MAILBOX. My picture book manuscript, “Mr. Bellow Lost His Cello,” won Byline Magazine’s national picture book competition; since it is not yet published, however, Mr. Bellow is still searching for his cello.

Happily, I am represented by the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. And, I’ve blogged at EMU’s Debuts. I support Pat Mora’s bilingual effort El Día de los jovenes/El día de los libros, Young people’s Day/Book Day).

If “curiosity killed the cat,” I’d have been a goner a long time ago (if I were a cat, which would be hard, because then I’d be allergic to myself).

Curiosity is what’s led me to:

  • Travel on six continents and live on three—can you figure out where I am in the photos below?
    (Click to see photos enlarged.)

  • Study at one college (Wellesley) and two graduate schools (the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the LBJ School of Public Affairs)
  • Work (for 25 years) to make schools, teaching, and policies better for kids
  • Read, read, and read some more (three book groups, which is at least one too many)
  • Cook (I love saffron and lemongrass but can’t abide okra),
  • Go to plays and movies (as long as they’re not violent; violence is worse than okra)
  • Go to concerts, museums, art galleries, and art auctions
  • Try to learn Spanish four times (I still can’t get ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ straight)
  • Write for kids about the oldest city in America (think South–way south), archeology in Bolivia, virus-hunting in Cameroon, predicting pandemics, Portuguese dancing, the philosophy of identity (yes, for kids), Anne Frank, civil rights music, Mark Twain, keeping the peace in Rwanda, moko (look it up), …

Those are the things I love to do—in addition to gardening, yoga, swimming, and volunteering…

Here’s who I love being:

  • Wife of a professor
  • Mom of two thoroughly splendid daughters and mom-in-law of their sweet spice
  • Gramma of three granddaughters
  • Sister, aunt, cousin, niece…
  • Friend (but please don’t tell my friends that sometimes I’d rather write than meet them for lunch)
  • Austinite in the winter, spring, and summer and Bostonian in the fall  (two critique groups, one in each home, which is perfect!)
  • Writer for kids

Happily, I am represented by Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency http://www.emliterary.com/index.php.

EmusDebuts I blog at: emusdebuts.wordpress.com.

To learn more about me, go to these blogs:

http://thedayjobawi.blogspot.com/

http://lyndamullalyhunt.blogspot.com/2010/11/mentor-monday_15.html