“My
inspiration for writing is all the wonderful books that I read as a child and
that I still read. I think that for those of us who write, when we find a
wonderful book written by someone else, we don't really get jealous, we get
inspired, and that's kind of the mark of what a good writer is.”
– Patricia MacLachlan
Born on this date in 1938, MacLachlan is the American
children's writer best known for her 1986 Newbery Medal-winning novel (and
series of books) Sarah, Plain and Tall, also adapted into a wonderful
“Hallmark Hall of Fame” television movie.
A board member of the National Children's Book
and Literacy Alliance, the nonprofit that actively advocates for literacy,
literature, and libraries, MacLachlan is a native of Cheyenne, Wyo., and said
growing up “on the prairie,” shaped both who she was and how she learned to
portray things.
While her “Sarah” series has gotten most of the
acclaim, I highly commend any of her 20 books, and especially her 2015 novel, The Truth of Me. It’s a celebration how our unique "small
truths" make each of us magical and brave in our own ways, and a
wonderful example of this thoughtful writer’s poetic and poignant style that
has won her legions of followers.
“I
have great editors, and I always have,” she modestly says of her successes. “Somehow,
great editors ask the right questions or pose things to you that get you to
write better. It's a dance between you, your characters, and your editor.”
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