Where does gennifer choldenko live
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There’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling. What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do
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Choldenko, Gennifer 1957-
Personal
Born October 20, 1957, in Santa Monica, CA; daughter of Jimmy (a business executive) and Ann (a physical therapist) Johnson; married Jacob Brown; children: Ian Brown, Kai Brown. Education: Brandeis University, B.A. (English and American literature; cum laude); Rhode Island School of Design, B.F.A. (illustration).
Addresses
Home—San Francisco Bay area, CA. E-mail—[email protected].
Career
Writer. Worked in various jobs, including horseback riding instructor for seeing-and hearing-impaired children.
Awards, Honors
New York Library Top 100 Book designation, Cuyahoga County Library Best Book selection, and National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, all 1997, all for Moonstruck; California Book Award Silver Medal for Young Adults, and International Reading Association/Children's Book Council (CBC) Children's Choice, all for Notes from a Liar and Her Dog; Newbery Honor Book designation, Carnegie Medal shortlist, American Library Association Notable Book designation, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age inclusion, CBC/
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The Authors and Illustrators - Profiles
Gennifer Choldenko
Gennifer Choldenko was born in Santa Monica, California in 1957. She was the youngest child in a large loud family. Her nickname as a kid was “Snot-Nose”. Gennifer spent most of her time on the back of a horse, exploring the craggy hills of Southern California.
After college, Gennifer got a job as a copywriter in a small ad agency. In the evenings, she took classes at Art Center Art College of Design in illustration. This eventually led to a full-time study of illustration at Art Center and Rhode Island School of Design. After RISD, she began to pursue children’s books with a vengeance. It has taken her a long time to learn her craft and find her way in the field of children’s books. After having a lot of success in advertising, it was very clear to Gennifer that she’d rather be a failure in a field she loved than a success in a field she hated. Luckily, she is blessed with a rock hard head and an amazingly supportive husband.
Gennifer is married to Jacob
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