Is THE BEST BAD LUCK I EVER HAD based on a true story?
Sort of. It’s more accurate to say it was inspired by a true story.
In the 1970s my grandfather, Harry Otis Sims, wrote down his memories of growing up in the South. Many of the events and people in THE BEST BAD LUCK I EVER HAD came from the memoirs, although I changed many of the details.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. In fact I remember distinctly a day in 4th grade when my best friend at the time said she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. I thought she was absolutely crazy. Why would anyone want to write a book when there were so many good books to read?
Obviously, I changed my mind. And I did find this polaroid picture of me at one-and-a-half, typing away. So maybe the answer is yes after all.
What else can you tell us about yourself?
In 2009, a review of The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had appeared in the Swarthmore College Bulletin. I graduated from Swarthmore College in 1997.
I've been everything from an au pair in Vienna, Austria, to a screenwriting instructor in Washington, DC. Currently, I'm a mom and writer in Alexandria, VA. My first novel THE BEST BAD LUCK I EVER HAD came out in 2009. My second novel THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK will be published in 2012.
Is there a discussion guide for THE BEST BAD LUCK I EVER HAD?
My publisher (G.P. Putnam and Sons) put together a great discussion guide for teachers, librarians, and book clubs to use with THE BEST BAD lUCK I EVER HAD. Click here to view the printable guide.
