Alyssa, I find it hard to believe that you are only nine years old, about to enter fourth grade in the fall, and you are a published children's book author! WOW! Congratulations!
Thank You!
How old were you, Alyssa, when you decided you wanted to write a book?
I was eight years old. It was last summer.
Did you have a teacher who encouraged you to write?
No, but my favorite subject in school is creative writing.
Your first book is titled Meet Daisy and it was published by Authorhouse in April 2008. I know it is about a little girl named Daisy who lived in 1908. How did you come up with this idea to write something from the past?
I like to read the Laura Ingalls’ books, so I thought it would be interesting to have my book taking place back in her time.
Can you tell us a little bit about the book itself and what the story is all about?
Meet Daisy has three stories in one book. In the first story, “Daisy’s Camping Trip,” Daisy goes camping with her cousins. While playing hide-and-seek, Daisy, her brother Lars, and their cousin get chased by wolves. In the second story, “Daisy’s Uncle Harry,” Daisy’s mean uncle comes for a visit. Daisy, her brother Lars, and their cousin put a rat in his bed. In the third story, “Merry Christmas Daisy,” Daisy and her family help a poor family in town have a happy Christmas.
Why did you write this book?
I thought it would be fun.
Do you have any new books in the works? If so, can you tell us about them?
Yes, I do have another book written, but it has not been published yet. The title of the book is “Let me tell you about my horse.” It is about a girl named Grace. One summer, Grace goes for a walk in the woods and discovers a horse in need. Grace brings the horse home and names her Magic. In the story, Grace and Magic go on many adventures.
Many adults are writing books for children. Can you give these writers any advice on what topics you think they should be writing about and why?
I think writers should write about their favorite things. For example, they could write about their favorite animal. I did that in “Let me tell you about my horse,” because I love horses. All the advice I think I could give other writers is to use your imagination, be creative, and have fun!
If you could be a character in any book ever published, who would you be and why did you pick that character?
One of my favorite book series is The Magic Tree House. One of the characters is Annie. I would like to be Annie because she loves animals and cares for them. She cares about others, she is brave, very smart, and adventurous.
Any hints on how you managed your time when you were writing your book? How did you keep up with your schoolwork, chores at home, etc.?
Well, I wrote most of Meet Daisy during the summer. I had all the time that I wanted, but when school started, that changed. I would have to write in the mornings after I got ready for school. After school, I typed after my homework. Keeping up with school work was not that hard. The toughest stuff was studying and science. The chores that I am responsible for are fixing my bed in the mornings, hanging up my clothes, and sometimes helping watch my little sister, Ellen.
When did you first hear about Stories for Children Magazine? What do you like/dislike about our magazine?
My mom told me about the magazine. I like reading all the stories.
Do you feel Ezines are the wave of the future for your age group, and why do you feel this way?
I’m not sure.
What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
Well, every fall the whole family goes camping. We have a pig roast, tell ghost stories, and my cousins and I play. Last fall my Uncle Jason invited me to go mud riding. All six of us, Uncle Jason, Aunt Charity, Jordan, Julie, Jakeb, and me all piled onto the four wheeler. We were trying to go up a hill but we got stuck. I tried to hold on, but I ended up falling backward into a big mud hole.
What are you plans for your future? Besides being a writer, do you have any other thoughts on other careers?
One day I would like to own a horse ranch in Wyoming. I still want to write, but I might want to be a teacher or a veterinarian also.
Is there anything else you'd like to tell our SFC readers about you that I perhaps didn't cover?
Yes, I have my own web site, www.alyssapaul.com. You can go to my web site and read short stories that I have written. Also, you can e-mail me with story ideas.
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