Estelle

For me, books rank right up there with chocolate, the ocean, and an unlimited clothing budget.  It all started way way back when I wore patent leather shoes and frilly socks. I read my first book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Jr. Martin and illustrated by Eric Carle, when I was in kindergarten.  And a monster was born.

I never went anywhere without a book. I obsessively collected the entire Baby-Sitters Club series (and the lovely California Diaries too), stole my mother’s romance novels, read Nancy Drew mysteries under the light of the boardwalk by the beach, and gladly participated in Summer Reading competitions at my local library.

Somewhere along the way, I decided I wanted to be a writer. I had been writing (and illustrating) my own “books” throughout elementary school and while my goals took a more journalistic turn, I started college thinking I would write for a newspaper someday. And then I changed my mind. Someday I would be an editor! Well, that’s not happening at the moment but I would still love if it happened. I’d be happy utilizing my writing skills in any way I could. I’ll write a menu! I will! Anyway… after a writing drought, I started a creative writing blog with a friend and the dam broke. Right now, I’m writing more than I ever thought I would be… theater reviews for our local section of BroadwayWorld.com and managing a Disney blog called This Happy Place.

I truly believe my passion for reading and writing go hand-in-hand. I wouldn’t feel as strongly for one without the other. So here I am, at 26, recollecting my BSC collection (my mom gave them all away) and having my life made better by a wizard and his two best friends. I recently joined the library in my hometown of two years (finally!) and find way too much joy in reserving books from the comfort of my office chair. I’ve also jumped in to the eBook age with my nifty Nook. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss the awesome book smell when I use it, but let me tell ya, it does wonders for a crowded train car (and my shoulders!)

When I’m not reading or writing (you know, those extra 5 minutes before I go to sleep), I love going to the theater, crafting, anything Disney, and hanging out with my hubby, who also knows the value of a good book.

A few other important factoids:

• Go-to authors: Judy Blume, Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Tiffanie DeBartolo, Melissa Bank.
• Most likely to recommend: Julie Orringer’s How to Breathe Underwater, Melissa Bank’s The Wonder Spot, Tiffanie DeBartolo’s God-Shaped Hole, Megan McCafferty’s Sloppy Firsts
• Favorite genre: Young adult, memoir, contemporary fiction, essays.
• I still haven’t read: The Twilight series (and I don’t plan to).
• Where I do the most reading: Sitting on a train to and from work.
• Bookmark: receipts, credit cards, scrap paper from work, moleskins. (Not kidding.)
• Favorite BSC babysitter: Dawn.
• Would love to: write my own young adult novel someday.