Betcha Didn’t Know…

I could tell you how I grew up reading (which I did) or how I always wanted to be a writer (which I did), but you probably already guessed that. I thought these totally true tidbits about me might be more interesting. Enjoy! 😉

• Peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches are one of my favorite things.
  My great grandmother used to make them for me when I was little and I adore them. Try it—it’s not as weird as it sounds!

• I drove across the country with a snake in my car.
  It’s true! When we moved from PA to CA, we drove. My daughter, Emma, was ten and had lots of animals: 2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, and 1 corn snake (named Rootbeer). We packed all of them (and us) in two cars and drove across the country. It was, literally, a zoo!

• I would be a terrible pilot.
  There are lots of jobs I might like—chef, librarian, dragon hatcher, professional water slide tester—but pilot isn’t one of them. It’s not even the piloting that’s the problem. It’s the flying. I know it’s safe, but I’m not a fan. If I ever stop writing, you’ll find me on the water slides, not in the air.
  
• I dyed my daughter’s hair purple with grape Kool-Aid.
  It seems like less of a big deal now, but in rural PA in 2006 it was cutting-edge. Purple hair? In third grade? She was so excited. 
  

• I had an iguana that became a magazine model.
  When I was in college I had a green tree iguana (named Rasputin) as a pet. Eventually, he went to live with a man who cared for lots of reptiles that were used in advertising. Rasputin became a model for a mountain bike ad. How cool is that?
  

• I saw giant trolls in Iceland.
  Iceland is one of the most wondrous and magical places I’ve ever been. The countryside makes you think at any time a dragon might soar over a mountain. In fact, you kind of expect it. Some residents even believe in elves. And trolls. So I thought it was pretty cool when I saw a couple of giant trolls in Reykjavik. Okay, they weren’t real, but it was still amazing.
  

• One summer, I built a 25-foot butt.
  Our Relay for Life team built a giant butt to raise awareness (and thousands of dollars) for colon cancer. It was a huge team effort, and tons of fun.
  

• My dog looks just like Dobby.
  Was I right or what? Betsy (such a nice, misleading name for a peculiar little dog) could absolutely win a Dobby costume contest. She doesn’t always look like this though, mostly just when she can’t have my cheese. Or chocolate. Or chicken. Or anything I’m eating.