Contact Janet
FAMILY PETS
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If we could sit and chat over a glass of milk and cookies, you might ask:
What was your childhood like and how has it influenced your writing?
I was born and raised in Milford, Connecticut, where my older sister and I cared for chickens, dogs, rabbits, ducks and a large vegetable garden. We ran a small roadside produce stand some summers (like a lemonade stand, but we sold vegetables).
My sister and I also spent a lot of time playing make believe games with friends, fishing with our father, ice skating on a small pond in the woods and playing school (yes, I loved school!).
I often biked two miles to the town library to check out as many books as would fit in my basket. In between chores, I sometimes climbed an old backyard apple tree to read in the shade.
My love of nature and being outdoors has inspired much of my writing. (I’m not afraid of bugs, spiders and snakes and they are the subjects of some of my work.)
Where did you go to school and did you have other jobs before becoming a children’s author?
I went to grammar school and high school in Milford. Then I attended Connecticut College, where I majored in Government and American Studies and played varsity badminton. After college, I worked for two years and then went to law school, graduating with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
I have had many jobs, including working in a garden center, waitressing (I once spilled a whole plate of spaghetti on the floor!), teaching tennis, creating volunteer programs, publishing a travel magazine and practicing law. I held many other jobs while working my way through college and law school.
My most important job today, even before being a writer, is that of mother to my son, Andy, and my daughter, Cami.
When did you start to write?
When I was very young, I began writing poems for family birthday and holiday cards. (My first sale as a writer was the text for three greeting cards!)
My first picture book, If Kisses Were Colors (Dial, March 31st, 2003) is written in verse and centers on nature images. (To see the cover and learn more about my book, click on the title, above.)
What else have you published and what are you working on now?
A Father’s Song, published by Sterling Publishing Company in April 2006, expresses the deep love a father has for his child, captured in a fun day at the park.
A Mama Bug’s Love, released by Little Simon in December 2006, is a delightful pop-up book that invites readers to join in imagining how mother bugs might show their love.
Tyrannoclaus will be published by HarperCollins Books for Young Readers in the fall of 2009.
To learn more about each of my books, click on a title on the left side bar.
Highlights Magazine published a short story, “Cami’s First Soccer Game”, in July 2005. I have also been published in Humpty Dumpty’s magazine, Shoofly (an audio magazine for children), and a poetry workbook released by educational publisher Evan-Moor.
Click on Poem Zone to read a fun poem and some related background.
I am currently working on several other picture books, novelty books, an early chapter series and a middle grade novel.
Can you tell me about your writing process?
I most often start writing drafts using paper and pen. Then I type and use the computer for revisions. I have a desk and office space in my home, but don’t always write there. Sometimes I write while sitting outside on a sunny day, or at my daughter’s soccer or swim practices.
Reading my work out loud is an important part of my process. I read stories and many subsequent drafts to anyone who will listen – my husband, my son, my daughter playing in the bath, my wonderful weekly writers’ group, good friends, my parents and, sometimes, even my dog.
What is your life like today?
I live in Connecticut with my husband and children. I continue to share my love of nature with my kids. Our family includes a loyal dog, Spud, a dwarf lop rabbit named Hippity, and a lizard we call Talon.
In addition to writing and revising, I attend children’s publishing industry conferences, writers’ workshops, and my weekly writers’ group meetings. I recently served as judge on a panel for Reading Rainbow’s national story writing contest for K to 3rd graders. I do school visits and book signings.
In my spare time, I love to play tennis, rollerblade, ski, read, and garden.
What else can you tell me about yourself?
I love to travel. I once traveled with a friend through Europe and the U.K. by train, spending only a dollar or two on food each day, but seeing many sights and meeting many interesting people. I have also visited many parts of the United States.
In February of 1998 I visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where we adopted our daughter when she was 14 weeks old. We plan to visit there again soon.
If you have any other questions, you can e-mail me at J.Lawler@snet.net and ask. (Be sure to put "Author Question" in the subject line.)
