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Ohio
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Edith Pattou
What is your connection to Ohio?
I moved to Columbus, OH (from Durham, North Carolina) with my husband and daughter in 1995. My husband is a professor at The Ohio State University. We live in Upper Arlington. Our daughter attended Tremont Elementary School (which is the setting for my book Mrs. Spitzer's Garden) and is currently a student at Jones Middle School.
What inspired you to become an author or illustrator?
C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of the reasons I became a writer. I read it when I was ten years old and loved the world that Lewis created. When I finished the book I decided that one day I would like to create a world of my own. Another inspiration was my best friend Sue. We both wanted to grow up to be novelists; we kept notebooks (inspired by Harriet the Spy) and in it we wrote poems, observations, and new lyrics to our favorite Beatles' songs.
What advice do you have for a young author or illustrator?
The main advice I have for someone who wants to be a writer is to read. Turn off the TV and read everything you can get your hands on. Also, I highly recommend keeping a notebook.
What do you like to do for fun?
For fun I like to go to plays and movies. I like to read and take long walks. And I also love to travel. Last summer I went to Norway and got to ride on a big ship through the fjords.
Some of your most popular books are:
- Mrs. Spitzer's garden (2001)
- Fire arrow : the second song of Eirren (1998)
- Hero's song : the first song of Eirren (1998)
