Jancee Dunn

I grew up in New Jersey with my mom, my dad, two younger sisters, and a Siamese cat with the very silly name of Moosh Moosh. I love to ride bikes, travel to new places, and bake—my specialty is chocolate cake with chocolate icing. And it's probably not surprising that, like many writers, I love to read. These days, I live in an apartment in Brooklyn, New York, with my husband, Tom (he is a writer, too) and our daughter, Sylvie. One of our favorite things to do as a family is to pile on the couch on a Saturday morning and read (usually with a tray of snacks nearby). I started writing stories when I was seven. I had a very wild imagination and was always dreaming up all kinds of fantastic tales. I still do! When I am riding the subway in New York City, sometimes I get so swept up in the stories I make up in my head that I miss my stop. I usually write at my kitchen table. There is a little outdoor deck next to my kitchen where I grow flowers, so many birds will stop by and keep me company. I've seen all kinds of birds, from hawks to hummingbirds. I got the idea for I'm Afraid Your Teddy Is In Trouble Today one day when my daughter had come home from school. She has a teddy bear that she has hugged and kissed so much that his fur is coming off in places. He was lying on the floor of her bedroom, and for some reason, my phone was on the floor near his paw. Sylvie said, "Wouldn't it be funny if he used the phone to contact all of his stuffed animal friends? He could have a party while I'm at school." Well, I loved that idea. My imagination started to kick into gear, and before you know it, I had written a story about it. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Three Things You Didn't Know About Me Whenever I see that the time is 11:11, I make a wish. I have no idea why I started doing this! I also make a wish on every penny I find. In high school, my classmates voted me Class Clown because I was always making jokes. I love to make people laugh. One time in the school cafeteria, I made my best friend laugh so hard when she was drinking milk that it came out of her nose. The longest plane ride I ever took was twenty-two hours, from New York to Australia.