From: SueDNimn at aol.com <SueDNimn>
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 00:11:57 EDT

Hello All, I've been lurking on the list for a little while, busily writing down all of the authors you suggested, and wishing I had more time to read.

I thought I would introduce myself. My name is Janette Rallison, and my middle grade reader, Playing the Field came out in May. As far as voices go, you can't get much newer than that.

I hadn't planned on writing a mid reader. My last two books were humor/romances. However, while I was doing a writer's workshop at my daughters elementary school, the kids came up with a really good plot idea for a story, and I just had to write it. After I was done with the rough draft, I took the story back to the kids and had them critique it. The whole process was a blast. I got to see the reader's reaction first hand, and the kids wanted to read the story because they felt they had a part in it.

There's so much kids can learn about the world -?out life--from reading, but I think when it comes down to it, the best thing teachers can do for kids is to teach them that reading is fun. All the stuff about the world and life can come later.

Janette Rallison
Received on Wed 16 Oct 2002 11:11:57 PM CDT