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

Thursday October 29, 2009

Happy Halloween! Hope you're having a great week and have a great time trick or treating! Stay safe. I just got back from Wyoming and had fun at several schools there. It was really pretty with the snow-covered mountains.
Aliziaja, I'm so glad you like my books. Do you have a favorite? If you want something a bit creepy, you might like to try one of my Ghostville books like Happy Haunting! When I was writing the Ghostville books with Marcia I had to keep checking under my bed to make sure there were no ghosts! Do you believe in ghosts? The custom of Halloween actually began with a harvest festival that was also a festival of the dead. Supposedly spirits walked the earth then! It was wise to be kind to all strangers who came to your door that night, because you never knew who that stranger might be.
Megan (obsessed reader!), it's hard to say which book was the most fun to write because they've all been so much fun. It was great writing Slime Wars and Slime Time with my son Nathan. Gabriela, it varies when people stop loosing their teeth. Usually around 3rd or 4th grade I think. Vivian, my favorite subject in school was history (social studies). Alex, I think Bruno can fly, do you? Monay, I think the problem in Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots is that they have a vampire for a teacher and they're worried that she's going to turn them into vampires. Christina, I get ideas from everywhere, including people who write me letters. You might like to scroll down on my writing page for some writing ideas. There's also a podcast you can listen to about getting ideas. ttyl, Debbie

Thursday October 22, 2009

Mrs. Manny's class, hello to you and everyone on this beautiful sunny day. One of my favorite parts of being a writer is hearing from great kids like you. I do love making up new worlds and having adventures without ever leaving my chair. I can be at the mercy of the evil Boggart Queen and her fire-breathing dragon one minute and sipping cocoa the next. Ah, the writing life-it's awesome. Of course, my least favorite part is when an editor rejects my story(kind of like when your teacher asks you to work on your homework again). Hayden, I'm so glad you like The Keyholder series. Inside the Magic and The Wrong Side of Magic come out on November the 3rd. Marcia and I have had fun making the characters. Curtisha, did you know that my picture is in several books (Marcia's too)? I'm Ranger Lily. My daughter Becky's picture is in several books as well. She is Becky in Aliens Don't Carve Jack-o-Lanterns. (Who knows, you may be in a book some day too!) Kaylee I think Mrs. Jeepers husband is dead. I think she just might have bitten a few people. I think she is really old-even older than me! I think to make a Mrs. Jeepers costume you need a long red wig (unless you have red hair), a polka-dotted dress (purple is best and you can always cut out paper dots), a green brooch (a paper one will do), and bright red or green fingernails. You might like to check out my Meet Mrs. Jeepers page. Dayli, I think Mrs. Jeepers just might be a vampire, don't you? Bryleigh, I don't have any plans to visit Tennessee right now, but it'd be great to visit your school. Happy birthday to Bayleigh and my nephew, Adam! I think the order forms are still good in the back of the books. Your parents can call the 800 number just to check. A big hello to Kesho, Makayla, and Nick. Jamie, I hope you'll enjoy Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias. Happy Halloween to you too! Christian, so good to hear from you. I hope things are going well in Colorado. Wasn't that crazy about that boy in the balloon? Chloe, I didn't really think about being an author when I was young. I am friends with Marcia and like working with her. I'll actually get to see her next week. I hope you'll check out my writing page for ideas on what you can write about. I get ideas from everywhere, even TV shows! Belle, my first book came out in 1990. Brandon, you can check out my other books on my book page. Thanks for writing. Do you like having your name highlighted? I thought it might make it easier to find your name. A huge congrats to the Phillies on their big win last night. World Series here we come! ttyl, Debbie

Thursday October 15, 2009

    Beatia, what is it like to live in Indonesia? Here in the Philadelphia area, we are celebrating the Phillies win over the Rockies in baseball. Of course, it's hard to believe the third game was delayed because of snow! I bet you don't have snow in Jakarta do you? To get the feeling, you might like to try Dragons Don't Throw Snowballs.  (The Rockies play the Dodgers tonight, so all of Philadelphia is holding their breath.)
    Breanna, you rock too!   Do you know what you want to be for Halloween? Will you be the statue of Liberty like Liza in Mrs. Jeepers Scariest Halloween Ever? I'm thinking of being Doctor Pepper, wearing a lab coat and a string of peppers. (My yongest son loves Dr. Pepper, but I'm an Orange Crush fan myself). Speaking of my youngest son, he's really into skateboarding. He got a cool new board for his birthday. Thanks Zumiez. It's fun watching him do tricks (and a little scary). I've been working on a story idea for a book about skateboarding. What do you think? Betha/Kristina I'm so glad you like Werewolves Don't Go To Summer Camp. When I was a kid, I always thought it would be so cool to go to summer camp, but we couldn't afford it.
     Makayla, I will be in Wyoming at the end of this month. I'll be in Big Horn. Is that close to you? Ask your teacher to drop me a note.   Theresa Rae, I really enjoyed the Fall Philly conference. What a delight to meet so many nice people!  A big hello to Megan and her sister and to Nikki. Great to hear from you again. ttyl, Debbie

Friday October 9, 2009

Happy Birthday to my fantastic son, Alex! Vanessa, I'm glad you like Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips. Did you know it took us two years to write that story? Adam, it'd be fun to write more Bailey School Kids books. Do you think we should? Alex, you can write to Marcia directly at this address: Scholastic 557 Broadway NY, NYT 10012. I think the toy animals on the cover of Vampire Baby are baby vampire bats, giraffe dragons, vampire bears, vampire caterpillars, and vampire slugs! Did you know that the artist, John Steven Gurney, used his daughter as the model for the vampire baby? The Swamp Page has a fun section where you can see other models John used for the Bailey School and Bailey City characters.
Kennedy, glad your book report is going well. If you're still working on it, don't forget the about me section and the book report section. I'm going to a writing conference tonight where I'll be speaking to other writers in the Philadelphia area and then early Sunday morning I'll be enjoying watching my daughter play soccer in the Poconos. (Of course, I'll be very curious to see what happens next between the Rockies and the Phillies in the baseball playoffs. I used to live in Colorado and now I live near Philadelphia, so I'm torn on who I want to win. But I have to cheer for the Phillies now-GO PHILLIES! Check out Mummies Don't Coach Softball if you're in the mood! gtg, Debbie

Saturday October 3, 2009

Fall Leaves       Hope you are having a great day. I'm a little nervous right now because my daughter just got her license and she borrowed my car! Yikes!! Allie, I get inspiration from everywhere, including my kids. My youngest son thought a skateboarding book would be fun. What do you guys think? My next books will be Inside the Magic and The Wrong Side of Magic. They both come out in November as part of the Keyholder series.
     Happy Birthday Brittany and Bryleigh (aka Mrs. Jeepers)! Brittany, I hope you had fun at the school dance. I hope you aren't boy crazy. It's fun to dance-even if boys aren't into dancing at your school. I had to drag my husband to dance lessons and now he's a fabulous dancer (much better than me). I have to tell you-you will always be your dad's baby even when you are ninety years old. It's because he loves you that he tries to protect you from harm. There are a lot of bad people in this world, so please try to understand that he wants you safe more than anything.   Hi, Bryleigh-you can ask your local bookstore to order the books for you or order through the book section of my website (your parents, of course).
     Alex, this just in from Marcia (to answer your question): Bruno is big. And hairy. And growly. But in a friendly way. He's like the loch ness monster...one of a kind and never before seen. Unfortunately, he's very frisky and doesn't know his own strength. That's why it's best if he's kept chained up in the basement. Wouldn't want him loping up to some poor unsuspecting kid and knocking him down, then nearly drowning him with the slobber that constantly drips from his fangs.
As for the sheets (in Double Trouble Monster), the kids are pretty sure it's double monsters, and to be perfectly honest, that's what I think they are, too!
     What to appear in a magazine? You could be in Storyworks magazine. All you have to do is read a book (one of mine, I hope), write 1-2 paragraphs about what you liked about it and a few details about what happened, send in your photo and you could be in Scholastic's Storyworks next issue. Sign your name at the bottom of the review and send it to REVIEWS BY YOU Storyworks PO Box 712 New York, NY 10013-0712. (Remember to include your name, age, teacher's name, school's name and address, and school's phone number.) Good luck!
     Hi Eddie (love your name!) and hello to Mrs. Ciarlegliois and the rest of your class. Of course, I'd love to visit your school. Chyna (cool name too), thanks for writing-it'd be great to visit Dobbs. Ask your teachers or librarians to drop me a note on my events page and we'll work it out.
brb, Debbie

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