The Official Bio:
Barbara Davis-Pyles is a former psychologist who went out on a limb to pursue her passion for writing... It has been a long and exciting limb! She is the author of GRIZZLY BOY (illustrator Tracy Subisak), STUBBY THE FEARLESS SQUID (Carolyn Conahan), CLIFF THE FAILED TROLL (Justin Hillgrove), and NOBODY LIKES FROGS (Liz Wong). In addition, she has written hundreds of stories and articles for the children’s education market, been featured in a number of poetry compilations, and collaborated on a pipe organ demonstrator with composer Frederick Frahm.
When she’s not writing, Barbara can be found gardening, hiking, or packing for an adventure. She lives in the northwest corner of Washington State with her family.
What I say:
The short bio:
I live wild and free in the northwest corner of Washington State.
The long one (with all the boring bits):
I was born in a small Pennsylvania town and did most of my growing up in the fields and forests of my family's nursery. As I recall, I spent a lot of time explaining to classmates that we grew trees, not babies.
As a kid, my top three most favorite things were horses, books, and school. Then in the fourth grade I was bitten by the writing bug. Stories and poems about horses, books, and school soon followed.
After high school, I was the first person in my family to go to college. And after that, I still loved school so much that I just couldn't stop myself from going a whole bunch more. Finally, a team of professors told me there was no more school. They said I was a doctor, and that was that. I'm not a medical doctor, mind you. I'd say I'm more like a Doctor Who kind of doctor, although I have not saved worlds or fought space aliens... yet.
When my school days were over, I became a story-fixer for a time. This was a job where people told me their life stories, and I tried to help them create happy endings. Some folks would have called me a psychologist, but I think story-fixer has a nice ring to it.
Along the way, I married a guy who likes to be the banker when playing Monopoly (thank goodness, because I don't), and we had two marvelous babies. Being their mom has been better than horses, books, and school all rolled into one! It's been so much fun watching them grow into fabulous adults who do amazing things involving computers and/or bones.
Obviously, I still have the writing bug... or this bio would be much shorter.
Fun Facts:
I learned how to drive a tractor at the age of nine.
I've written hundreds of stories and articles for testing companies, so if you've taken a fill-in-the-bubble test, you may have seen one. My apologies to those of you who don't like tests.
I love to read about brain research because I love brains (not in a zombie kind of way, thank goodness).
I am trained in hypnosis, but I don't use it as a carnival act to make people squawk like chickens.
Speaking of chickens, I have seven of them! I also have four cats and two very large dogs.
I still love horses and books and school!