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

Saturday May 1, 2010

     Happy May Day! Did you know in some countries like Germany, they have celebrations for the first day of May? I visited some schools in Germany one year and they had May poles in lots of the different towns. They were decorated with flowers and quite lovely.
     Karmy, I have many favorite books. Since it's nearing the end of the school year and some people are thinking about graduation, I like Wizards Don't Wear Graduation Gowns. At different times of the year, I like different books.   Mariah, Abby, and Nadia, I'm so glad you like my books. Mariah and Salie, I think it is quite fun to write children's books. Catherine, Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots has 13 chapters! Priyankha and Lexi, there are 51 numbered Bailey School Kids books and lots of specials. Sammy, I do get ideas from kids I meet. Preet, I think your idea was amazing! Raeghan, I'm glad you like Ghostville Elementary.
     A big hello to Ariana and Brionna. Makel, some of my books can be a little scary. One that is not is The Worst The Worst name in Third Grade Name in Third Grade. I hope you'll check it out.  Kenterias and Diana, I'm so glad you like my books.  Do you think we should write more Bailey School Kids books?
     Tamaria, Jalache, Rokevia, and Isaiah my book report page might help you with your report. Jamaura, thanks for your support. Samya, you might like to try the Bailey School Kids Junior Chapter books. ttyl and happy May, Debbie

Wednesday April 21, 2010

    Yipee! It's almost May and that means summer is just around the corner (and my birthday!). I don't know about you, but I love love love summer.  Hey MaKayla, I'd love to visit your school. Ask your librarian or teacher to invite me. Nadia, I'm so glad I'm one of your favorite authors. That is quite an honor for me. Jake, you're awesome. I hope you understand that for safety sake my webmasters recommend that I answer you here. If we were to put your email up for the whole world to see you might get emails from wierdos!
Mollie, it can be a lot of fun writing stories with other people, if you find someone you work well with. My editor actually suggested the title for Dragons Don't Cook Pizza. Juquan, I was living in Kentucky when I wrote my first book. Tyler, most Bailey School Kids books take about a month to write. Quenton, there are fifty-one numbered books, but more specials and holiday specials. I'm fine and hope you are too.
     A big hello to Emily, Marissa, and Alicia. (Alicia, I'm glad yo didn't scream when you saw me!) Morgan, I've written 147 books, but Becky and I do not have a book out yet. I'm hopeful though!
     Kevin and Michaela, click here for some places to send your story. Brittany, Calem, and Crockett I have lots of favorite books. One of them is Slime Wars that I wrote with my son Nathan. One of my favorite characters is Eddie. You are so right Jackson, stories do need a problem! Good luck with your writing. Maddy, thanks for your fun idea and I hope you had a great Earth Day. Yes, Hunter, I do feel sad when an editor tells me I need to fix a story. Wouldn't it be nice if everything was perfect the first time we tried ti? Karmyn, I do like to write and I don't do it just to make the time go by. I do it because I like it.
     Hunter, I had a pretty good childhood. I went biking alot and I learned how to swim and water ski on the Ohio River. I also fought with my brothers alot! Ashlyn, Mallorie, Alisa, and Gunner, I hope you'll check out my writing page where you can write a story along with me and get some writing advice, although I think the best advice is to write alot and read alot. Alisa, as far as the tone of the story think about whether you are a serious or silly person. Whatever your personality will help you decide the tone of book you should write. Abby, I hope you'll tell your brother (you are such a nice sister!) Sierra, I'm glad you like Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots. Shylan, I hope you'll like it. Michael, that was my first book. It took about three weeks to write. Camryn, I do think the skydiving helped me brainstorm. Alexis and Brionna, I'm glad I was funny when I visited your school. Mason, I'm glad you didn't fall out of your chair when reading my books! Katie, you sound like an amazing reader. Renee, there are about 42 pages in a Bailey School Kids book manuscript.   Jadelyn, I'm glad you like Ghost Game. That's one of my favorites too (because I like basketball a lot).   Karmyn, I write for both reasons, for fun and to entertain. Jenna, I am Pirates Don't Wear Pink Sunglasses nervous when I'm waiting to see if an editor likes my story. Shanda, sometimes it's hard to write and sometimes it's easy! It is fun.
     A big end of April hello to William, Sarah, Micheal, Kaleigh, Sammy, and Courtney. Abigail, Marcia and I thought it would be fun to write a pirate book, but we brainstormed to come up with the pink sunglasses idea.
     Catherine, my first book came out in 1990. Is that what you mean? Caleb, hopefully I can visit your school again in the future. Trey, I'm not sure how many schools I have visited. I do like chapter books.   Hanna, I'm glad you like Angels Don't Know Karate. Did you know I took karate lessons?
    Brittany, I do like being a writer. I'm fine, except that I keep sniffling from allergies. Imani, I do hope to write more books. Austin, thanks for your fun idea. Shamar, believe it or not I like country music. Sekret, I did autograph your book for you. Jadelyn and Taylor, one of my favorite Bailey School Kids books is Ghouls Don't Scoop Ice Cream. I like the chapter called Super Eddie. Michaela, Marcia and I brainstormed for The Keyholders for about a year. One idea came from all the bushes and trees close to where I live. I wondered WHAT IF there was a magical world beyond those bushes? ttyl, Debbie

Monday April 19, 2010

     Hey Earth Day is this week. Recycle something! Check out my homepage for more things you can do. Hi Nadia, Keli, and Naudia! I'm so glad you like my books. Nadia, please tell your sisters I said hello. Caitlyn, your mystic place sounds awesome. Perhaps you would like to make a map of Talania like I did of the Shadow Lands for The Keyholder series. As your drawing the map you might add towns, mountains, or lakes and think about all the adventures that could take place there. When I drew the Dragon Keep in my map, I knew I wanted to have a dragon adventure in my series.    Clover, The Keyholders are fantasy books. I hope you'll like them.
     Tony, I'm so glad you like Werewolves Don't Run for President. You are exactly right about Mr. Youngblood. Sometimes politicans do promise things just to get people to vote for them!
     Payton, you sound like an amazing reader. You go girl! Makayla, I will check my snail mail fan mail today! Makel, I do like making books. I can't stop thinking about stories!   Nicole, must be the same way because she sent two fabulous ideas. Thanks Nicole!
     Mackenzie (aka Classy Lassy!), my daughter didn't want me to do Facebook. Do you think I should? I thought you had to be 14 to do it, has that changed? Tina, I'm so glad you like Sea Serpents Don't Juggle Water Balloons. Throwing water balloons sounds like a fun thing to do today!    ttyl, Debbie (Happy Birthday to William Shakespeare on Friday!)

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

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