My father is a historian; from the time I was in elementary school, he shared with me how he researched his books. Everyone in my family was fascinated by the past. We loved to visit history museums and historical sites.
My own interests back then centered on the books I read, which were mainly written for young people. I wanted to become a writer for young people.
In college, I studied European history, especially intellectual history and cultural history. After college, I worked as an assistant to history editors at a university press, as a journalist, and as a writer of history articles for young people. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, my interests had broadened to United States history, especially social history. I began writing fiction with U.S. historical settings (under a different name). In 2019, I returned to writing nonfiction, this time in the form of history books for young people.
About two-thirds of the books I read for fun are written for kids or teens, rather than for adults. I try to write the type of book that I would have enjoyed reading when I was young, and that I would enjoy reading now.
My family visiting Colonial Williamsburg in the 1970s.
My father working in the 1980s. That computer he's typing on is one of the earliest laptops.
Part of a list I kept as a kid of the books I read. I was reading this book.