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

Monday April 27, 2009

hot sun     Look out California, here I come! I'm visiting a school there this week. I wonder if it's as hot there as it is here. omg, I thought we were going to burn up at soccer games yesterday and I was sitting in the shade!
     Ashley, I'm glad you liked Aliens Don't Wear Braces, my 7th book. I actually wore braces for four years! Carlee, my fourth book was Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball and my 30th book was Hercules Doesn't Pull Teeth. Madison, I have lots of favorite books, like my new Keyholder series that somes out on Friday. The first one is This Side of Magic and I'm pretty excited about it. Bryanna, I hope you'll like it.
     Trinity, thanks for your good idea. Did you know I wrote Mermaids Don't Run Track? Brittany, please write to me at Scholastic 557 Broadway NY, NY 10012 and I'd be happy to send you an autograph. Sheamus, my most popular book so far has been Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots. Gam, I'l glad you liked Genies Don't Ride Bicycles. It's my mom's favorite too. I don't always write with a partner. For instance, The Worst Name in Third Grade I wrote by myself. In my spare time, I like to garden, play tennis, and read. Stay cool, Debbie

Monday April 20, 2009

     flowers Happy Earth Week! Hurrah for our beautiful planet. Let's keep it the best we can.  I was surprised when I read these facts in Dear Abby the other day: It takes this long for these things to decompose-
Paper-2 to 5 months   Milk cartons-5 years
Tin cans-100 years     Aluminum cans-200 to 500 years
Styrofoam-never!
Now, I really know how important recycling can be. I certainly don't want our earth covered in trash. I hope you recyle. I do!
     Hi Madison, Lauren, Toni Marie, Elianna, and Kristianna. I'm so glad you liked Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots. It is of course, one of my favorites too. The Swamp Monster in Third Grade is another.
     Zariah, I have a BIG birthday this year on May 18th. Yesenai, I'm so glad you like my books. Shannon, what's your question? Jack, your school is cool! Connor D., my grandmother, Lillie Bailey, was an inspiration to me.  I thought it was neat that she kept a diary. Paramveer, I'm glad you like Snow Monsters Do Drink Hot Chocolate.
     Brittany, thanks for your great idea and for meeting me by your school door. I'm glad you liked Werewolves Don't Go to Summer Camp. Write me a letter and I'd be happy to send you my autograph. You can send it to me at Scholastic 557 Broadway NY, NY 10012.
     Morgan, I live in Pennsylvania, but I was born in Kentucky. I think writing is fun because anything can happen-you can make a magic world like in my new Keyholders series. I got started just by writing one story about my dad (it was never published). I'm glad you liked PIrates Don't Wear Pink Sunglasses. I went to a school one time and every kid wore a pair a pink sunglasses. It was funny. Jamie, I can't wait to see the surprise you have for me in California. brb, Debbie

Monday April 13, 2009

Keyholders inside sketch      Hi, hope you are enjoying a few days off from school. It's always nice to have a break. My kids only had three days off. For some reason, they don't get a spring break. That doesn't seem right!
     Have you seen my new Keyholder's page? The books are available at the end of this month, but you can hear a little bit from the first three on my podcast. Just scroll down and click to play.
     Sanika and Lindsey, I'm so glad you like my books. I have lots of favorites. One of my favorite chapters is the last one in Ghouls Don't Scoop Ice Cream. Heather, I'm so glad you like it. Another favorite chapter is the last one in Mermaids Don't Run Track.
     Heather and Amanda, you are thinking of my Whistler's Hollow book, based on something that happened to my grandmother. I hope you'll read the book from your school library to find out what's in the attic. I will tell you that there were no dead bodies! Amanda, I usually write in my office at home. I'm in it right now, I look out over my back yard and I have monkey curtains that are very cheerful! In fact, the whole room is cheerful-it's gold/orange! You can see part of it on my writing page if you scroll down.
     Annette, I was the only girl in my family too. At family get-to-gethers it was boy city!  I had two brothers and all boy cousins. Bob, thanks for your funny idea! Brooke, I've written a couple of Easter books, like Ogres Don't Hunt Easter Eggs and Vampires Do Hunt Easter Eggs. Vivian, I do like to read. I just recently read Kiki Strike and reread This Side of Magic.  Both were fun books! ttyl, Debbie

Monday April 6, 2009

Happy Easter to you! That means summer will be here before you know it. I guess I'd better get busy and finish up my beginning of the year goals. How about you? Did you make any goals for this year? If so, how are you doing? If not, you can make one now. One of my goals was to start a reading program. I found an amazing one that I'm helping with. You can help too. It's called WOW, Words on Wheels. It's where there are books on a school bus and people read them. Sometimes older kids read to the younger ones. If you're interested, talk to your bus driver and put a box on your bus for book donations and then read the books! If you have a long bus ride it's a great way to pass the time. (Hopefully you don't get car sick!)
     Sreehitha and Jonathan, my first book was Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots. I've been writing since about 1990. Dina and Angelina, I think that is a good name. Your story was very intense! A good place to start looking for a publisher is on the copyright page of books that you like. That gives the publisher's address.   Fatima, I'm so glad you liked Unicorns Don't Give Sleigh Rides. I get inspiration from everywhere, even from people who write me letters! Arnav, Ava, Bryanna, and Ashley-I'm happy you like the Bailey School Kids books. Have you ever checked out the Trivia game on my website? Sana, I am writing another book right now. It's about time travel.
     Srikant, I have felt like giving up at times. I think that probably happens to everyone, especially when things get really tough. To be a writer, I think you have to have a lot of persistence. Maybe that's the key to succeeding at anything. Megan, I'm glad you like Zombies Don't Play Soccer. The soccer idea came from my kids. A big hello to Tany and Ryan. Drashay, Jillian, Angela, Bryanna, and Jamie thank you for your fun ideas. Jamie, have a nice Passover. Stephanie, it's fun being an author most of the time. But it's hard when my stories are rejected. I think rewriting is also very hard. Mrs. Pfleeger's class, yes I often have to do many rewrites. Cherokee Sister is a book I rewrote for eight years (probably 200 times!) Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips-Marcia and I rewrote for 2 years. Audrey, I've written about 147 books. Sana, one of my favs is The Worst Name in Third Grade.
     Caitly and Drashya, I hope you'll check out my writing page for tips and idea podcasts.
     Alaa, I don't know why I talked so much in elementary school. I learned to control myself better by the time I got to high school, although I did get in trouble some then for talking to much too. Annette, I have two great brothers, Frank and David. My brother Frank owns a fantastic BBQ place in Henderson, Ky. Crockett, I wish I knew how to make video games. I'd make one right now!   Julian, maybe I can write the frankenstein teacher story. Have you ever seen Frankenstein Doesn't Slam  Hockey Pucks?  Victoria and Isabella, it takes different amounts of time to research different books. I did tell Becky about the rejection. She was not happy. Sarah, I do like zebras.
     The kid's names in my Keyholder series are Luke, Natalie, and Penny. Caitly and Mrs. Chapman's class had funny guesses. But our dragon's name is Dracula! Isn't that a strange name for a dragon? Jordain, when I was in school one way I made friends was to look around and see if there was someone who was lonely. I would go up to them and start talking about school. I hope you'll write me back. I also hope all of you will check out my new Keyholder's page and try Luke's game. More is on the way, Debbie

Sunday March 29, 2009

It's raining, it's pouring, I feel like snoring! Actually I think a rainy day is a great time to read a book, don't you? Ava, I'm glad you like Skeletons Don't Play Tubas. Elly, I hope you'll enjoy The Worst Name in Third Grade. Annette, I think you have a cool name! I knew a really nice girl named Annette when I was growing up. A big shout out to Vanessa, Kenterias, Annette, Tyler, Kimburley, Kaylee, Sausdy, Sanya, Michel, and Conner. I'm so glad you like the Bailey School Kids books. Shannen, did you know Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips was the hardest Bailey School Kids book to write? It took us two years! Colleen, Mrs. Jeepers brooch makes people behave. Aren't you glad your teacher doesn't have one?
     Riley, ask your local bookstore to order Frighting Like Cats and Dogs or check your local library. Rima, Isabella, and Victoria it took me several years to write Whistler's Hollow. I've been an author since 1988. It was nice meeting you guys. You have a great school. Alexis, good luck with your book report on Mummies Don't Coach Softball. Sahiti, of course I love to read and write, but I also like scrapbooking and playing tennis. Caroline, I think it's cool that we have the same birthday, May 18th.
      Hello Crockett Bears, you had some great questions. Yes, I must admit sometimes it is hard to be a writer. There has been some talk of making a Bailey School Kids movie. I think that would be cool. I get ideas from everywhere, even schools that I visit. Madeline had a good idea-perhaps another mermaid book.
     Shea, many of my books have been published by Scholastic, but my new series is with Tor. Maria and Malick, I'm fine. How are you? Kara, I look forward to meeting you on April 17th. Eric, I'm glad you liked Mrs. Jeepers and the Secret Cave. Many of the ideas for that book came from Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, which is where I'm from. It's the longest cave system in the world. Shea, greetings earthling. Debbie Dadey rock stars Allison, I went to Western Kentucky University.  Emily, I'm glad you liked Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball.
     Jhguy, Vivian, and Kory, you guys rock. And so does everyone who guessed our dragon's Keyholder's Dragon name. (He's allergic to turkberries and sneezes alot. It's very bad when a dragon sneezes. You never know what's going to come out-dragon snot or fire!) Taylor, Rhys, Gabby, Madelynn, Drew, Trevor, Haley, Sam, Agust, Sophie, Wren, Jay, Rylie, Tyler, Cameron, Eric, Mark, Arya, and Jamie had amazing guesses. But we named our dragon something different . . . very different! You can find out soon when the first two books come out . . . This Side of Magic and The Other Side of Magic. (Actually, I'll let you know next week, so if you want to guess again, go ahead!)
     Don't forget to play a silly April Fool's joke on Wednesday. ttyl, Debbie

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