Elizabeth Holmes
William Staffeld
Elizabeth Holmes grew up in Tennessee and after finishing college worked for a year as a teacher in Kenya. She published two books of poetry for adults before turning to writing for children. The Normal Kid is her third middle-grades novel; the first two are Pretty Is and Tracktown Summer. She lives in Ithaca, New York, with her husband, two sons, and three cats.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Black Stallion (Walter Farley) and Bambi’s Children (Felix Salten, with Phoebe Erickson’s beautiful illustrations—not the Disney illustrations).
What’s your favorite line from a book?
“A fire chief knows many things.” – The Fire Cat, by Esther Averill
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Katherine Paterson, Sharon Creech, and Roald Dahl.
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
Because making something out of nothing is a wonderful feeling.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Read a lot! And learn to love editing your own writing, because you can always make it better.
