Jey - Where did you begin your Teaching Career?

I started teaching in my native California and taught children from preschool through sixth grade. Then, I worked with 2-4 year olds as a teaching fellow in the campus preschool at Mills College in Oakland, California while earning my MA. I retired temporarily to prove my MA in child development by rearing eight South Dakota natives.

My husband’s final move with the United States Air Force sent him to the Pentagon—in DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency).  Since he couldn’t really talk about his work, our children told their friends their dad was a spy.

We settled permanently in Woodbridge, Virginia and I became a reading specialist in the Prince William County, Virginia schools. During most of my career, I worked with delightful Einstein types who needed an extra boost of motivation along with clear strategies to help them become readers and writers.  My special training in Reading Recovery in 1989 proved extremely useful as a writer of Early Readers.

Jey - Have you conducted workshops?

Yes, Jey. My favorite writing workshops are those with children. They’re bursting with ideas and they love to share their stories and drawings.

I’ve also presented workshops on phonemic awareness and interactive writing for teachers in K-2 grades.

I’ve trained volunteer reading tutors and provided them with lesson formats and kits of materials for writing as well as basic training in how they can assist children through difficult parts when they read.   My article in Teaching Pre-K-8, March/April 2006 “Volunteer Tutors” explains the volunteer program in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2.
http://www.teachingk-8.com/archives/articles/volunteer_tutors_by_betty_erickson.html

 
Jey - Your down-to-earth stories are written in a simple direct, child friendly style. When did your Writing Career take off?  

I began writing after my first years of teaching. The lack of sufficient material for the class motivated me to write for immediate use. Later, I wrote several stories for my Reading Recovery students and for groups of young children. 

In 1980, a collection of books written by Joy Cowley from New Zealand came to my attention.  The children LOVED these books - Joy uses language that children can understand, inserts humor and adds a special twist or surprise to her stories. Mentored by Joy who visited my reading room, my stories improved. 

 
Jey - When were your first books published?

Finally, in 1996, “Oh, No, Sherman!” was accepted for publication. Since then Seedling Publications, now a part of Continental Press, has published 14 more of my early readers and one consumable sticker book. Another two titles have been accepted for publication in the fall.

Jey – Where do you get your ideas for stories?

Ideas come from observing my own children, suggestions from children on my rosters, dipping back into my own childhood, newspaper clippings, photos as well as requests from teachers, parents and editors

                                            This is Marta who gave me the idea for A Special Invitation for Sherman.

This is Brad who gave me the idea for Play Ball Sherman.

Jey - Do you go to a lot of workshops to hone your skills?

I'm a member of SCBWI, and I've attended Writers' Workshops at Chautauqua in 1993 and 1999 as well as Highlights Founders Workshop "Writing from the Heart" in 2005 and in 2007. I’ve taken 3 courses from The Children’s Institute of Literature and 2 from Long Ridge Writer’s Group.

Jey - Where can I find your books?                                                                              

My books are sold through educators' catalogues as are most early reading materials. Seedling Publications / The Continental Press, Inc. http://www.continentalpress.com  Scroll down to Seedling Publications and click on Seedling Readers.

Jey - Do you have other publishing credits?

Yes, Jey. My rebus story, “The Hero,” is published in the June 2007 issue of “Highlights for Children.” 

Also, in the summers of 1995-1997, I worked in a team of 5 teachers and administrators here in Prince William County to write edit and illustrate a collection of 83 little books we called “Beastie Books.”  Our purpose was to provide Title 1 kindergarten and first graders with inexpensive, easy-to-read books to start or to extend their home libraries. 

I've had three stories (for adults) published in "Small Farmer’s Journal.”

My friend, Jey Manokaran, is a writer and illustrator in Chennai, India.  We met at Joy Cowley’s Highlights Founders workshop, “Writing From the Heart” in 2005 and have kept in touch.  Visit her site at http://sunbeam4kids.com/index.htm