Meet Annette
The first stories Annette wrote were puppet show scripts when she was five years old. She loved creating characters, plots, scenes, and costumes for stories. In elementary school, Annette wrote short stories at school and longer chapter books at home for fun. In middle school, she became very interested in creative writing, paying attention to lyricism, verse, format, and prose.
In college, Annette studied elementary education. She graduated with honors, a teaching degree, and jumped right into first grade, then third grade, then substitute teaching for K-8, then K-8 school library media director.
After Annette left teaching, she started a small online business in Tulsa selling products that relate to Tulsa’s history. Whenever she had a pop-up shop in the community, Annette found herself teaching about Tulsa leaders and Tulsa history.
“A BOOK IS A DREAM YOU
HOLD IN YOUR HAND.”
-Neil Gaiman
Q & A
What genre do you write and why?
I love to write picture books about courageous characters with compelling stories. I am fascinated by all the hidden heroes or unknown figures waiting on the library shelves for children to discover. I also write fiction stories with a social emotional focus because I think the market is calling authors to be creative in telling stories that help kids fit in and understand their world.
Who are some authors you like?
I have so many favorites it is hard to narrow the list to a few but I’ll try! E.B. White, Joanna Ho, Eric Hill, Kate Messner, Lisa Katzenberger, Traci Sorell, Meg Medina, and Josh Funk.
What was the first book you read as a child?
Caps for Sale, A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina.
Do you write every day?
Yes, I work on picture books four days a week. On the other three days, I write for fun in my journal or on my tablet keeping my notes and goals organized so I can remember what I was thinking.
What influenced you to become an author of picture books?
First, I love everything about picture books. The words, the stories, the illustrations, the book covers, the jacket cover, the end pages, and reading about authors.
Secondly, I really love words and how they create images. More words create more images. So my mind is always making meaning of what I read whether it is news, advertising, information, fiction, humorous prose, poetry, or whatever.
Thirdly, I jumped into writing courses just as COVID season began. Traci Sorrell taught a course at OSU-Tulsa and I decided I want to get serious about writing and learning the craft of storytelling. I’ve taken online courses at The Writing Barn in Austin, Texas via Zoom, SCBWI Webinars via Zoom, Manuscript Academy webinars, and Highlights Foundation Online Courses. I also jump on the Twitter path of contests, dance parties, and support my fellow authors.
Lastly, I read about 100 picture books a month that I check out from the Tulsa Public Library. Not only is it smart to read a variety of books but it is also an excellent way to study my own writing as I compare and contrast my skills to other authors.
What are some other fun facts about you?
I have five siblings, two children, 18 cousins, and I have taught over 3,000 children.
I love West Highland terriers! I currently have Sugar who is 11 lbs of sweetness.
Other jobs I have had: phlebotomist, caterist, tutor, Gathering Place hostess, and Montereau concierge.
I married my best friend’s brother. We celebrated 38 years together in 2021.
I traveled on Route 66 almost every weekend as a child when my family drove to Grand Lake.
I went to summer camp for 8 years. I learned to sleep under the stars, cook on a campfire, and climb 14,000 foot mountains.
Favorite color ~ pink, favorite food ~ guacamole, favorite place ~ my office, favorite city ~ Paris, favorite ice cream ~ chocolate mint, favorite season ~ spring.