Scat, Cats! [Paperback]

After making a big mess and lots of noise, these cats are sent outside. They stay away, and now the house is too quiet. Will the cats ever come back?The reason I'm a children's book author/illustrator today is that I have a lot of determination. I practiced drawing and revised my stories over and over because I wanted nothing more than to do what I'm doing now--writing and illustrating children's books.

I always knew I'd become an artist and studied art in college in Texas. After graduating from college, I became an Art Director at a graphic design firm. I moved from Texas to New York to work in children's publishing. I got a job as Associate Art Director in children's books at Scholastic, where I designed books and enjoyed working with editors and illustrators. This was excellent experience.

I illustrated my first children's book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I had always written stories, but I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990's. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts --Boo Who?(Scholastic) andPen Pals(Grosset & Dunlap) -- both published in 1997.

Now I write and illustrate full time. It is a great job. When I think of a idea, I write it down so that whenever I finish one story I'll have a bunch of ideas waiting that I can begin working on next. I especially love reading and writing funny stories, weird stories, and animal stories.

Books I've written and illustrated include:

Cinderdog and the Wicked Stepcat Albert Whitman, 2001 (ages 4-8, picture book)
Abby Cadabra, Super Speller, Grosset & Dunlap, 2000 (ages 6-8, easy reader)
How to Find Lost Treasure in All Fifty States and Canada, TooAladdin, 2000 (ages 8-12, NF)
The Haunted States of AmericaAladdin, 2001 (ages 8-12, NF)
Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars, 2001 Grosset & Dunlap (ages 6-9, NF)
Happy Monster Day!Scholastic,1999