Hi Gigi,

Thanks for your questions,
and I‘m so glad that “Beyond the Call of Duty” was one of your favorite
stories!  That’s great that you enjoy
science and writing.  Even in the sciences, writing is an important
skill to have. Whether you’re writing a research paper or doing a presentation,
being able to present information in a clear and interesting way is a bonus.   

I don’t do anything specifically
with science now, but I still have a lot of interest in science-related topics and
will probably eventually write about something to do with science.  Meanwhile, I’m glad to have a background that
allows me to understand and better appreciate things related to science.  The sciences are great training for problem
solving and logical thinking which can always be applied in everyday life.  And I don’t have to hide when my kids ask for
help with science homework--or math for that matter!

As for genre of books, I can’t
say that I have an overwhelming favorite. 
I like to mix it up and read a variety of genres.  I do like mysteries a lot though, and have
read many, many, Agatha Christie books over the years.  I’m also partial to biographies and autobiographies
and anything historical whether it’s fiction or nonfiction.  The passing of Ray Bradbury last week
reminded me how much I enjoyed his books and science fiction, even though I
haven’t read that genre in quite a while. 
But now I think I’d like to reread some of those books.  Humor is good too—you would probably enjoy
James Herriot’s series about a country vet, if you haven’t already read them.  Anyways, as long as it’s a good story,
fantasy or real, I’ll enjoy it.  

Good luck with your
future plans to go into the sciences and becoming an equine vet.  That sounds like a very rewarding career,
especially if you enjoy horses which of course you must. I don’t ride horses
myself, but I always watch the Triple Crown races. Here in Vancouver, it was
such a letdown this past weekend when the horse, I’ll Have Another, was scratched
from the Belmont Stakes because of tendonitis. The jockey, Mario Gutierrez, is
from Mexico but had been training in Vancouver for the past 6-7 years, so there
was a lot of local excitement. I think the last horse to win the Triple Crown
was Affirmed in 1978, so a win would have been a big deal.  Too bad. 
Maybe one day if you become an equine vet you can figure out ways to
prevent tendonitis!

Hi Artemesia,

I’m so glad you enjoyed
“Beyond the Call of Duty.” And that’s great that you want to be an author--I
wish I had known that when I was 13!

You’re right-- I sent my
story into Cricket, and they picked
it!  But…..before I sent it in, I read
the submission guidelines and I followed them very, very carefully.  Different publishers have different guidelines.  For example, I wouldn’t submit a 2000 word
story it to a magazine that sets the limit at 500 words, or send a nonfiction
story to a magazine that only publishes fiction.  I also read previous editions of Cricket to get a feel for the type of
stories they publish.  That way I knew
whether my story was a good fit.  Then, I
crossed my fingers and waited--very patiently, because it takes a long time
for magazines to wade through all the submissions they receive.  But as you can figure, it was well worth the wait! 

I always enjoyed writing,
but I think it was reading to my own kids that made me want to start writing
for kids.  I was so impressed by the quality
of kid’s books and the impact that they could have.  Not long ago, my older daughter reminded me of
one story we read.  It was called Shin’s Tricycle and was the true story
of a little boy who was riding his tricycle when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.  The story left a strong impression on my
daughter and many years later she still has a very clear image of the tricycle
that was left behind in the rubble. It was stories like that, that inspired me
to try my own hand at writing. Now, I think it’s so neat that readers like you
are enjoying my stories and that inspires me to keep on writing.  

There is a lot you can do
towards improving your writing and one day getting your stories published. You can
look into writing workshops for young people, perhaps through your local
library or community center. It’s a great way to learn and share ideas with
others who also enjoy writing.  Reading each
other’s stories and giving feedback is fun and motivating.  I’d also suggest entering writing contests that
magazines like Cricket offer.  And read, read, read--especially the sort of
stories you would like to write yourself.  Ultimately, you want to write stories that entertain
and inspire you, because that interest is what will come through in your
writing.  And whether your story is
published or not, it’s rewarding to write something that you enjoy and can be
proud of. 

Thanks for your questions Artemesia (great name!) and good luck with your
writing!