| Some Weird Facts You May (or may not) Want to Know About Me |
~ I do my very best thinking in the shower. If I am stuck writing, I go hop in the shower
whether I need one or not. The most I've taken in one day is four. Apparently pruney
toes spur creative thinking!
~ I am completely obsessed with Halloween! Every October, my house is the
creepiest on the street (inside and out). I even have life-sized robotics. But no
vampires ... I'll explain that below.
~ My favorite ice cream is Cinnamon and I especially love it with pecan praline
sprinkled in.
~ I plagiarized (stole someone's writing - which is a REALLY bad thing to do) from a
teen magazine when I was in 9th grade. My teacher could see through me like plastic
wrap and I got in BIG trouble. I never cheated on anything EVER again!
~ There are three other writers/illustrators named Susan Mitchell. One Susan writes
poetry, another Susan illustrates children's books, and still another Susan writes just
about everything.
~ I was terrified of vampires as a kid. They still creep me out, I don't care how sparkly
or romantic they may seem.
~ My favorite color is blue (and pink, and green, and black, and ... well, you get the
idea. I like them all - especially if they are neon or glittery.)
~ My birthday is on April Fool's Day - April 1st. Seriously ... no joke!
~ I have a neon green alien in a jar on my desk ... we call him Jerry. I have a class
pet rock. His name is Steve (he has his own webpage ... seriously!)
~ Oh yeah, I already mentioned the monkeys ... but, you have to admit that's a pretty
weird one.
whether I need one or not. The most I've taken in one day is four. Apparently pruney
toes spur creative thinking!
~ I am completely obsessed with Halloween! Every October, my house is the
creepiest on the street (inside and out). I even have life-sized robotics. But no
vampires ... I'll explain that below.
~ My favorite ice cream is Cinnamon and I especially love it with pecan praline
sprinkled in.
~ I plagiarized (stole someone's writing - which is a REALLY bad thing to do) from a
teen magazine when I was in 9th grade. My teacher could see through me like plastic
wrap and I got in BIG trouble. I never cheated on anything EVER again!
~ There are three other writers/illustrators named Susan Mitchell. One Susan writes
poetry, another Susan illustrates children's books, and still another Susan writes just
about everything.
~ I was terrified of vampires as a kid. They still creep me out, I don't care how sparkly
or romantic they may seem.
~ My favorite color is blue (and pink, and green, and black, and ... well, you get the
idea. I like them all - especially if they are neon or glittery.)
~ My birthday is on April Fool's Day - April 1st. Seriously ... no joke!
~ I have a neon green alien in a jar on my desk ... we call him Jerry. I have a class
pet rock. His name is Steve (he has his own webpage ... seriously!)
~ Oh yeah, I already mentioned the monkeys ... but, you have to admit that's a pretty
weird one.
| FAQ ~ Frequently Asked Questions |
When did you begin writing?
~ I didn't realize I was a writer when I was young. It was something I liked to do, but it
never dawned on me that writing was something that I could do for a living. I used to
write stories and poems (really terrible ones) all the time. I even loved writing book
reports and term papers. Until 2003, I never gave it another thought.
What happened in 2003?
~ I got angry about an incident of discrimination and wrote to the editor of my town's
paper. Then I remembered and realized the power of my words. My parents had
tried to get me to be a writer for years and told me they would do anything I needed
to get started.
How did you get started with children's books?
~ Children are the coolest people in the world! I love them and would rather be
around them than most adults. I have two girls and am a teacher, so I knew it was
what I wanted to do. I almost never read adult books. I truly love children's literature
and that is what I like to read & teach.
What advice do you have for writers?
~ Getting published is brutally hard. Put on some skin-thickening lotion and get after
it. The number one thing I would advise is to join SCBWI. Being a member of this
writing organization makes all the difference in the world. Also, join a critique group.
Being around other writers is the best classroom for any aspiring author. And don't
TALK about writing ... actually WRITE something, re-write it about a hundred times
then when it is ready ... actually SUBMIT it to the right publisher.
~ I didn't realize I was a writer when I was young. It was something I liked to do, but it
never dawned on me that writing was something that I could do for a living. I used to
write stories and poems (really terrible ones) all the time. I even loved writing book
reports and term papers. Until 2003, I never gave it another thought.
What happened in 2003?
~ I got angry about an incident of discrimination and wrote to the editor of my town's
paper. Then I remembered and realized the power of my words. My parents had
tried to get me to be a writer for years and told me they would do anything I needed
to get started.
How did you get started with children's books?
~ Children are the coolest people in the world! I love them and would rather be
around them than most adults. I have two girls and am a teacher, so I knew it was
what I wanted to do. I almost never read adult books. I truly love children's literature
and that is what I like to read & teach.
What advice do you have for writers?
~ Getting published is brutally hard. Put on some skin-thickening lotion and get after
it. The number one thing I would advise is to join SCBWI. Being a member of this
writing organization makes all the difference in the world. Also, join a critique group.
Being around other writers is the best classroom for any aspiring author. And don't
TALK about writing ... actually WRITE something, re-write it about a hundred times
then when it is ready ... actually SUBMIT it to the right publisher.
~FAQ & Weird Facts
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| ~~~The Me & Cool Literary Peeps Gallery ~~~ |
Me & Kevin Henkes (author of Kitten's
First Full Moon, Chrysanthamum,
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and
a million others)
First Full Moon, Chrysanthamum,
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and
a million others)
Ann Whitford Paul (author of
Manana Iguana, and many
more)
Manana Iguana, and many
more)
Lisa Wheeler (author of Sailor Moo,
Sixteen Cows, Uncles & Antlers,
Porcupining, and many more)
Sixteen Cows, Uncles & Antlers,
Porcupining, and many more)
Marla Frazee (award winning
illustrator of Clementine, Mrs.
Biddlebox, A Couple of Boys
Have the Best Week Ever, and
many more)
illustrator of Clementine, Mrs.
Biddlebox, A Couple of Boys
Have the Best Week Ever, and
many more)
Susan Stevens Crummel - what are
the odds of two authors named
Susan BOTH with books about a
platypus? Weird!
the odds of two authors named
Susan BOTH with books about a
platypus? Weird!
Super cool Phil Bildner (author of
Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Twenty-One
Elephants, and a bazillion other fabulous
sports books)
Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Twenty-One
Elephants, and a bazillion other fabulous
sports books)
Matt Holm of Babymouse fame!
Epossumondas - one of my all time favorite books)