- I was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September
5, 1950. How old am I?
- Today, I live in Tucson, Arizona with my husband,
Nick Vitale. Where is Tucson?
- My daughter Lauren is twenty-four and my step-son
Justin is twenty-two. Lauren lives in Portland, Oregon. Justin is a
senior at the American University in Washington, D.C. He was born on
my birthday. When was he born?
- We had a wonderful dog named Sierra. He was
the inspiration for the "old dogs wake up from their naps"
line from the poem. He lived for 14 years. If every "dog year"
is equal to seven "human years," how many years did he live
in human terms?
- We also care for two adult and two hatchling
desert tortoises. They are named Tortellini,
Boris-Doris (the mother), and the hatchings are named Lucy and Ricky.
Our adult tortoises were given to us by someone who had raised them
as pets. They hibernate from November through March or April. We feed
our tortoises food from the desert as well as bok choy, napa cabbage,
and fruits. What is Boris-Doris's favorite fruit?
- I am now a full-time writer and a consultant,
which means I work with teachers and librarians to make schooling work
for kids. I also teach for the University of Arizona. I earned my Ph.D.
in May 2003 when I was 52 years old! Why do you think I've spent so
much of my time in schools?
- When I teach at the university, the students
call me "Dr. Judi." Why do they call me that?
- Thanks to a great teacher, Miss Schwab, I've
loved writing, especially poetry, since third grade. How long have a
loved writing poems?
- I like to wake up early in the morning and write
in my journal while I drink a cup of hot tea. Most mornings (when I
don't have to go to school) I walk in the desert with my dog Tessa.
Why do people write in journals?
- Besides writing and walking, I love telling
stories, reading, taking photographs, swimming, and visiting new places.
Sing Down the Rain
is my first published book. It was published in 1997. How long did it
take from the time I thought I was an accomplished poet (1958!) until
my first book was published?
Click here for the answers.
Sing Down the Rain
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