BIOGRAPHY
I was born in Kansas, land of wheat fields, orange-purple sunsets, and...Dorothy. Indeed, I have quite a bit in common with that famous Kansan Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz.
Dorothy had her Aunt Em. I had Grandma Emma.
Dorothy had her Uncle Henry. I had Grandpa Henry.
Dorothy's house had a storm cellar right outside. So did my Grandma Emma's house.
Dorothy loved red shoes. Me too! In fact, I often wear them when I visit schools.
The first home I remember had no indoor bathroom! In winter, my younger brother and I took "baths" in the kitchen sink. In summer, we trekked to the "wash shed" beside our windmill. Roger and I sat in big, metal washing tubs as Mother poured warm water over our heads.
I was a timid child, but I had a special affinity for animals. Luckily, my father and his family were farmers. There were always plenty of animals around!
Because I was timid, I spent a lot of time with books. My family didn't have a lot of money for books, but they could always find a quarter for a Little Golden Book. My grandmother spent hours reading these to my brother and me. My father loved reading even more than me. I remember him reading challenging physics and astronomy books with a dictionary by his side.
I attended a two-room country school near Kingman, Kansas. My favorite spot was a wall in Mr. Donaldson's room, completely full of bookshelves... and books. Every week I carried several home to read. Reading was one of my favorite activities. So it is not surprising that I went on to graduate from Kansas State University with a degree in English literature. At Kansas State, I met my husband-to-be, Fred Arnold. We moved back to his home state of California when we married and that's where we live still, on a lane called McGregor, which I think is a perfect address for a children's writer. (Remember Farmer McGregor from the classic Peter Cottontail ?)
When my two children were small, so full of curiosity and fresh outlooks, I began to write about their daily adventures. This led me to write "homegrown treasures", a syndicated column that won three Best Local Columnist awards from the California Newspaper Association. Even better than the awards was that people related to my column. They would come up to me and say, "I loved your column this week! I know just what you mean." I also loved that families - grandparents, parents, teens, and toddlers — read my column together. This made me happy because I've always believed the best stories are for all ages.
Spending time with my family is my favorite activity.
My daughter is following her heart's desire. She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of Performing Arts and is now working in musical theatre. She is a singer, dancer, actress, voice and dance teacher, and resident choreographer for the Prather Theatre Group. My son graduated from Dartmouth College, where he was captain of the basketball team. He now works and lives in New York City. My husband and I do a lot of traveling between coasts!
When I'm not writing or speaking at schools, I enjoy traveling, snorkeling and scuba diving, riding horses, International line-dancing, doing yoga, long walks with friends, and watching my daughter perform in musicals.
For a more extended biography, please visit my website at www.marshadianearnold.com.
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