We were given the chance to interview Laurie Wallmark all about her life as an author. You can learn more about her HERE

• What is your favorite part about being an author?

There are so many favorites that it’s hard to narrow it down to one, so I won’t. Being a children’s author, I love sharing my passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) with kids. I enjoy finding just the right word or phrase that makes the whole sentence or paragraph sing. For my nonfiction books, it’s so much fun going down the rabbit hole of research. I could go on and on.

• Do you have advice for young writers?

You don’t become a star quarterback when you first try out. The same it true of writing. Your first stories might not be the best, but that’s okay. You’re still a writer. It takes a lot of practice to improve your skills. To be a good writer, you need to keep on keeping on.

• What inspires your writing? 

Anything and everything. It might be an article I read or a conversation I overhear, a memory from childhood or a fact I encounter when doing research for another book. From that initial spark of an idea to a story is a long way, though. And not all ideas are worth developing into a story. But before you know it, another idea will come along, waiting to be written.

• Plans for 2021?

My debut fiction picture book comes out in October 2021—Dino Pajama Party. I’ve had people ask me if it’s nonfiction, since all my other books are. I’m so tempted to say, “Yes, the paleontologists found bits of pajamas amidst the bones.” In 2022, I’m back to women in STEM, with the picture book biography, A Passion for Science: Maria Mitchell, Astronomer.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Need coverage? Please send an email to [email protected]