Ellen Jackson
a story that I really liked about a small boy who was constantly in trouble. At this point, I made a mistake beginning writers often make. I fell in love with my first draft. I typed it up, made photocopies, and sent the manuscript out to five publishers.
For some reason, the teacher decided to read this story in class. At first, I was excited because I thought she'd chosen the story because it was so good. But the teacher stopped after the first paragraph and pointed out the problems-the characters were flat, and the plot wasn't logical. She couldn't find one good thing to say about my story. Except for one thing-she said, the story was a good example of everything a beginning writer shouldn't do.
I was embarrassed and humiliated. How could I have been stupid enough to think the story was good?
After that, I dropped out of the class. As the weeks went by, I dreaded getting the mail. One by one, all the manuscripts came back. Only one copy never came back, and I figured it had been lost in the mail. I decided that, based on my teacher's remarks, the story was a loser. I'd never send it out again.
A year later, I got a call from the fifth publisher. I couldn't believe what the voice on the phone was saying. An editor had read my story and wanted to publish it! Did I have any more stories I could send her?
I put down the phone, whooped, and danced around the room. Then I called my mother. The publisher, Follett, did eventually publish my book, THE GRUMPUS UNDER THE RUG. It's still in print and has sold more than 40,000 copies.
8. What were some of your favorite books you remember from your childhood? What are you currently reading?
Oh, there were so many--the FREDDY THE PIG books, UNDERSTOOD BETSY, CHARLOTTE'S WEB, the Mary Poppins books, DR. DOOLITTLE, the Oz books, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, an old, old book called THE LOST PRINCE, and many more. I read everything. My sixth grade teacher complained that I read too much.
I always have about 10 books checked out from the library. Right now I have HOME FROM STONE by Chet Raymo, THE ANCESTOR'S TALE by Richard Dawkins, and SO B. IT by Sarah Weeks, among others. I just finished THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls, a memoir that describes the
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