I was the kid the librarians knew by name. Books were where I went when real life wasn't a great place to be, and now I'm writing my own. My first book is a memoir about a childhood you wouldn't find in any parenting magazine. Every word of it is true. My second is a YA fantasy for anyone who ever needed an escape, the kind of book I wish I'd had back then. When I'm not writing, I'm walking in the woods or snuggling on the couch with a good book . At home I'm outnumbered by five cats (Maggie, Lizzie, Sophie, Francis, and Gabby) and two boxers (Monty and Winston). The cats and dogs make up my current editorial staff . My husband, who is English and a die-hard Liverpool fan, still wonders how we ended up with so many animals. He's my biggest supporter. I also speak Polish fluently, in case any of the cats ever start answering back.