KidsBuzz

Beth Fine

Dear Reader,

Reared in Texas, I had adventures galore: riding horses all summer, wading in the bayou behind our neighborhood, and reading books from the library. At age nine, I wrote a book about a rambunctious tomboy who disappeared one rainy day. Searchers found her raft stuck in a nearby river, a horse bridle floating, and a sandal on the bank. My teacher read the book in class. The kids liked it because they knew my experiences had built the story. That's a secret authors know!

When grown, I moved around, gained new experiences, and gradually began creating a mystery series called The Picaresque of Ímagine Purple. Since a picaresque requires an adventurous journey full of honorable deeds and roguish characters, I made Ímagine a teacher-turned detective. Ima (her nickname) had to be tough and smart enough to travel the world and fight off rascals thwarting her investigations.

After finishing a few Imasodes (Ima + Episode), I still needed a place to start. While living in Canada, I heard about the Last Passenger Train Across Newfoundland. It offered the perfect kickoff! Visit my website to see maps and summaries of Ima's travels plus to enter the contest for a signed copy.

Always,
Beth Fine
PicaresqueOfImaginePurple.com