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| Grab a cookie...let's chat! |
When I was a little girl, I'd read anything I could get my hands
on. I especially loved tales with girls who travelled to magical
places or who did something extraordinary. But sometimes,
especially at night when I was supposed to be sleeping, I'd
resort to reading the hardware catalog in the Sunday
newspaper. A little wacky, I know, but there was something
about the feel and the scent of the paper that I adored. Lucky
for me, my parents accepted and encouraged my reading
habits, something I'm thankful for to this day.
Today, I prefer to stick with reading books, and I'll never
forget some of my favorites, like Island of the Blue Dolphins, Little
Women, A Wrinkle in Time, the Serendipity series, Beatrix Potter
books, anything and everything ever written by Judy Blume,
the Sweet Valley High books, and so many others...You can
still spy me rubbing my fingers over the pages of a book--is it
smooth and satiny or rough and rustic? Try it yourself and find
out. Oh, and don't be afraid to stick your own nose in a book
now and then--there's nothing quite like the scent of the
printed page...even without smelly markers to help it out.
Through books, I became a daydreamer, imagining my own
fantastical worlds, where anything was possible if only you
closed your eyes, blinked two times, and wished very, very
hard. Then, with imagination, I started creating stories of my
own. Some of them are published now. Some sit in drawers,
knocking ever so slightly to be let out once again...
Don't be shy--ask away!
1. Catherine Ipci-who?????
It's pronounced ip-chi-zah-deh. Try saying that five times fast!
The name comes from my husband who was born and raised
in Istanbul. It means "son of rope-maker." How cool is that!
2. What's your favorite time of day to write?
I love to write in the early morning. If I could, I'd have a little
cottage in the woods where I could piddle-paddle to a seat by
the window each morning and write in my slippers. As it is,
I've got two kiddos, so mornings are a little hectic. Still, you
can often find me sitting cross-cross-applesauce on my living
room couch in my pj's around 9:00am. I don't usually where
slippers, but I do sometimes wear socks--sometimes I even
wear socks with reindeer bells and candy cane stripes. But
don't tell anyone I told you that.
3. Do you like fiction or non-fiction best?
That depends on what I'm writing! I love writing fiction
because it allows me create characters and worlds. But
non-fiction is fun to write, too! I love learning new things. For
instance, did YOU know a giraffe's tongue is as long as your
arm? It's true! Sometimes, being a fact-finder can be quite an
adventure!
4. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I've always loved to write. And lucky for me, my parents
encouraged me as a kid. I started writing poetry in elementary
school. One day, I came home from school and went to my
grandma's house with my very first poem in my hand. It was
called "A Fluffy Feather," and it was terrible! But my grandma
didn't think so. She grabbed the telephone and called every
newspaper in town telling them they should publish my poem.
"A STAR is born!" she exclaimed. Grandma wasn't exactly
right, but I'll never forget that feeling. Sometimes, when we
have dreams, a little bit of encouragement goes a long way...
on. I especially loved tales with girls who travelled to magical
places or who did something extraordinary. But sometimes,
especially at night when I was supposed to be sleeping, I'd
resort to reading the hardware catalog in the Sunday
newspaper. A little wacky, I know, but there was something
about the feel and the scent of the paper that I adored. Lucky
for me, my parents accepted and encouraged my reading
habits, something I'm thankful for to this day.
Today, I prefer to stick with reading books, and I'll never
forget some of my favorites, like Island of the Blue Dolphins, Little
Women, A Wrinkle in Time, the Serendipity series, Beatrix Potter
books, anything and everything ever written by Judy Blume,
the Sweet Valley High books, and so many others...You can
still spy me rubbing my fingers over the pages of a book--is it
smooth and satiny or rough and rustic? Try it yourself and find
out. Oh, and don't be afraid to stick your own nose in a book
now and then--there's nothing quite like the scent of the
printed page...even without smelly markers to help it out.
Through books, I became a daydreamer, imagining my own
fantastical worlds, where anything was possible if only you
closed your eyes, blinked two times, and wished very, very
hard. Then, with imagination, I started creating stories of my
own. Some of them are published now. Some sit in drawers,
knocking ever so slightly to be let out once again...
Don't be shy--ask away!
1. Catherine Ipci-who?????
It's pronounced ip-chi-zah-deh. Try saying that five times fast!
The name comes from my husband who was born and raised
in Istanbul. It means "son of rope-maker." How cool is that!
2. What's your favorite time of day to write?
I love to write in the early morning. If I could, I'd have a little
cottage in the woods where I could piddle-paddle to a seat by
the window each morning and write in my slippers. As it is,
I've got two kiddos, so mornings are a little hectic. Still, you
can often find me sitting cross-cross-applesauce on my living
room couch in my pj's around 9:00am. I don't usually where
slippers, but I do sometimes wear socks--sometimes I even
wear socks with reindeer bells and candy cane stripes. But
don't tell anyone I told you that.
3. Do you like fiction or non-fiction best?
That depends on what I'm writing! I love writing fiction
because it allows me create characters and worlds. But
non-fiction is fun to write, too! I love learning new things. For
instance, did YOU know a giraffe's tongue is as long as your
arm? It's true! Sometimes, being a fact-finder can be quite an
adventure!
4. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I've always loved to write. And lucky for me, my parents
encouraged me as a kid. I started writing poetry in elementary
school. One day, I came home from school and went to my
grandma's house with my very first poem in my hand. It was
called "A Fluffy Feather," and it was terrible! But my grandma
didn't think so. She grabbed the telephone and called every
newspaper in town telling them they should publish my poem.
"A STAR is born!" she exclaimed. Grandma wasn't exactly
right, but I'll never forget that feeling. Sometimes, when we
have dreams, a little bit of encouragement goes a long way...
