Debbie Dadey, Children's Author - Debbie Talks to Kids

Saturday April 10, 2010

      Brittany, write your sister a nice letter telling her 3 things you like about her for a late birthday present. I bet she'll keep if always. (Sorry about the mishap with your paper). Martin, there are many ways to make a cover yourself. You can take cardboard and cover it with special paper or cloth or simply make it out of poster board or paper. Here's a link to how one person did it. I'm so glad you like the Bailey School Kids Super Specials. It would be fun to make another one.
     Kimberly, Dragons Don't Throw Snowballs is about being trapped at school with a snow dragon right outside the door! Jacob, I will be in Chicago, Illinois at the end of this month. Unfortunately it will just be a quick trip to speak and sign at the International Reading Association Meeting. If you'd like to send me a letter with your address asking for an autographed bookplate, I'd be happy to send you an autograph. You can send it to me in care of Scholastic 557 Broadway NY, NY 10012.
     Gina (imaGINAtion) thanks for your idea, as for how to get published that's what every writer wants to know. I just had what I thought was a really fun story rejected, so there's no one right answer. But there are some places that have contests for kids to get their stories published. My friend, Anastasia Suen has some great places listed on her website. I think that's a good place to start. I hope you'll try Ghouls Don't Scoop Ice Cream. That ending is my favorite.   Did you know I did write a cyclops book? It's called Cyclops Doesn't Roller Skate.
     Caitlyn, I'm glad you like Mrs. Jeepers Scariest Halloween Ever. Good luck with your writing. You and Gina might like to check out my writing page.   Best of luck, Debbie

Saturday April 3, 2010

Happy Easter! Nicole, I love your ogre idea. Have you seen my Ogre book, Ogres Don't Hunt Easter Eggs?
     Brittany, what's up with middle school? I'm glad you liked Ghosts Don't Ride Wild Horses. Maybe you can read some good books or even write your own book over spring break. You might like to try the ideas I've listed.  Then you say what could happen first, second, and last? Auburn, I like to write too!
     Auburn, your title idea was great too! It also made me hungry. Auburn, Cadi, and Micaelah, I'm now rewriting the skydiving book for about the millionth time. Crockett, I do like writing. Eddie is one of my favorite characters too. Dragons Don't Throw Snowballs is where the Bailey School Kids get trapped by a blizzard inside their school. They have to spend the night there, but there's a snow dragon waiting for them outside.
     Gina, that's the only April fool's I had, so thanks for it! I love your imaGINAtion! Marcia and I usually brainstorm for titles. That means we jot down tons of possibilities and pick the one we like the best, which sometimes means putting part of one with another one.
     Nicole, we got the idea for Gargoyles Don't Drive School Buses from a cartoon that used to be on TV and from gargoyles on buildings in Chicago. Thanks for your fun idea! Danielle, I'm so glad you like my books. Hannah, I really appreciate that you like Cherokee Sister. I worked on that book for eight years so it is quite special to me. I look forward to your snail mail letter. Happy Easter to you too Medaya. It was great to hear from you again. I loved my 6th grade year, hope you do too. HI to Frankie.
     I did something on Thursday I'd never done before. I got to be an extra in a movie in New York City. It was very interesting and exhausting. The director would say "It was perfect, let's do it again." We shot the same scene over and over. Happy Easter to all and many blessings, Debbie

Saturday March 27, 2010

Spring is here! YIPPEE! It's officially spring and I love it. Nathan, my oldest son, is home visiting from college so we all went to an indoor water park for one night and had a blast. I went down this toilet bowl thingee that swirls you around and around. My husband said he was the king because he swirled around four times before he went down.
     Kamryn, I hope you're enjoying Wizards Don't Need Wizards Don't Need Computers Computers. Did you know that I used to be a librarian? Do you like the new or original cover better?  Yes, Niahti, I do like writing books with don't in the title-I like patterns!
     Sophia, Kids at Temperance St. School, and Alyssa, I'm so glad you love my books. Do you have a favorite? Sophia, your ideas were so funny and clever!   Bryan, your magician idea was great too. Grace, it would be neat if they made a movie of the Ghostville Elementary books. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
     Something amazing happened at my house. Something that's hardly ever happened in the history of the world-I cleaned my desk! I had to take a picture Debbie Dadey's office because it may never happen again. Notice the clean desk in the picture!!! Okay, time to get to work to mess it up, but first I want to congratulate Tracy, Sarah, Lina, and Tonya for winning my books from Books on the House. Congratulations! Emerald, do you believe I'm five thousand years old? Actually you can find out when I was born by looking at my book report page. Dylan and Lena, I'm happy that you enjoyed Pirates Don't Wear Sunglasses, which is fiction. Chloe, I'm glad you loved Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots. You sound like an amazing reader! (Lena, that book is definitely one of my favorites because it was the first one I had published.) tyl, Debbie

Saturday March 20, 2010

Kamryn and Ashlee, I'm glad you like Dragons Don't Throw Snowballs. It's actually one of my favorites. The idea came from a school I visited where the kids really did get trapped by a blizzard. They had to spend the night at school. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NIKKI AND KRITIKA from me, Howie, Liza, Eddie, and Melody (they are in all the Bailey School Kids books, but not The Keyholders.) Isabel and Kamryn, I hope you'll check out my writing page. There's a story at the bottom you can write with me. Tell Maggie hi! Madeline, thanks for you fun idea. Did you know I wrote Skeletons Don't Play Tubas with my friend Marcia? Chris, that's one of my favorites. Kamryn, Marcia and I have written about 100 books together. You can see them on my books page. Let me know your address and I'll send you an autographed bookplate you can stick in Snow Monsters Do Drink Hot Chocolate.
A big howdy to Alyssa, Lauryn, Itzel, and Adam. Bailee, I'd love to visit your school, but I have to be invited by an adult. Maybe your librarian, PTO parent, teacher, or principal would like to contact me. Kali, I think Marcia and I got the inspiration for Dracula Doesn't Rock and Roll from our husbands, who both play the guitar (but they aren't vampires!) I hope you'll check out my newest video and win some books! Jake, I'm glad you like my books. I have so much fun writing them. Sabbir, I'm happy you like Bailey School Kids book #28, Unicorns Don't Give Sleigh Rides. I've been having great fun this week brainstorming and working on ideas for a new series! g2g, Debbie

Monday March 8, 2010

You guys have such awesome and funny ideas! Thanks Gina, Vanessa, Roshni, Sara, Rylie, Drake, Lauren, Kristin, Maggie, and Isabel, and Richy. Tyler, sometimes people suggest ideas and sometimes I get them from something that happens or I simply brainstorm. A big hello to Ava, Mia, Dillion, and Dylan. Dillion, some books are harder to write than others. Jacob, I'm hoping there will be a Keyholders #5, but my editor is still thinking about it. If all you want to help, you all can write her and tell her you'd like more Keyholders. You can write to her at Keyholders Editor 175 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Nick, Keyholders #3 and 4 are my most recent books. Casey, I did write the Ghostville books with Marcia Jones. Yes, I have been lucky enough to travel out of the country to places like Mexico, Bahamas, Germany, Austria, Bermuda, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Croatia. Some of them I went to by myself to visit schools, others with my family.
Gina, Gianna, Nate, Meghan, and Olivia I wish you good luck with your writing. I'm so glad I inspired you Gianna and Gina. Nate, you inspired me to do more on my website for writing. In fact, next week I hope to have a brand new video up about writing. You and Bridget might like to take a careful look at all the things on my writing page. Scott, the hardest Bailey School Kids book to write was Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips. Sarah and Izzy, you can tell what's it like to be an author from the pictures there. I also tell a lot about the steps to writing. Sarah, I hope you'll like The Worst Name in Third Grade. Meghan, of course you can write a book! I told Becky about your good wishes. She said thanks! Gianna, I do have some games you guys might like to try on my Swamp Page. One of my favorites is the trivia game. Play it to see how well you know the Bailey School Kids. Grace, Cameron, and Connor, there are 51 numbered Bailey School Kids books. There are more Super Specials and Holiday specials. Avyn, I guess I've had a lot of practice writing. I just keep trying! Soumyaa, I do practice tennis as well, but just for fun. Lauren M., I hope you'll read Whistler's Hollow to find out what happens at the end. Danielle, I'll send your school a copy. Ally, I hope you'll like Slime Wars and Slime Time. Megan, I hope to make more books. I'd love to visit your school. Ask your librarian or principal to contact me. Meghan, my first book came out in 1990. Kara, Damiya, and Nick would you believe me if I said I was a thousand years old? I am married and my favorite color is blue. Sam, I think we first thought of Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots on a Wednesday. Andrea, that was my first book. Brianna, I have three dogs. Journi, I like to play tennis. Aiden, I'm glad you like my books. Brock, I have been thinking about presidents lately. Chloe, I have watched Jumanji. Have you read the book? Izzy and Hope, Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you too. I hope you'll enjoy Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball. The honey bee waltz is my favorite part. Brittany, I hope you have fun at your school dance and I'm glad you like Sea Monsters Don't Ride Motorcycles. Did you know my husband has a big red Harley and I have a little bitty scooter? It's beautiful weather here where I live in Bucks County PA. It's like spring and the sun is shining. I love it! ttyl, Debbie

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