1) I sold a book to Albert Whitman. A picture book to be used with children whose sibbling has died of S.I.D.S. and 2) I sent a proposal for another Oprah Winfrey book to Enslow. They replied that, they already had one on her, but would I like to do one on Marian WRight Edelman. Naturally I said, YES! ahem. who is she? (always say, yes, first.) When I discovered she lived and worked just down the road from me, in Washington, DC., I knew I'd not have too much trouble researching and writing this. (Actually, I never got to interview this person, either. But I interviewed people around her and read every magazine article about her and used a lot of those quotes.) Since the book got great reviews and several honors, I continued to write for Enslow, ending up with seven book with them.
2.SR: What do you enjoy most about writing nonfiction and specifically biography?
WO: I'm a continually curious person. I want to know why and why not. I want to know How things work. Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. Doing thsese books allows me to learn new things. I like finding out interesting facts that will fastinate kids.
3.SR: What prompted you to write about the Wright Bros?
WO: I got to the point where Enslow would send me a list of subjects they wanted books about. When the Wright Brothers showed up on a list, I grabbed it. My sister lives in Ohio and went to Wright State University near Dayton. Plus, I've always loved to fly and these people started it all.
4.SR: What did you learn about them that surprised you the most?
WO: I don't know about surprise. As an adult, it was a somewhat of a suprise to me that, even tho they loved children and had fun with their nieces and nephews, the two of them never married. (I personally think that, since their sister kept house for them and their father also lived with them, they never had to grow up and take care of themselves and felt no need to search out a helpmate to marry. It was too much trouble to court a wife. It was easier just to drift along the way things were. This theory also explains why Orville was so furious with his little sister when she finally had the courage to leave him and get married. He never talked to her again.)
