About Denise
Fun facts for your book report, event or just because you're curiousWhen I was in kindergarten, my parents sent me to a special art class where I made a clay turtle and other things (that’s me in the class, painting). I liked art but found out I liked writing better. I wrote and illustrated my first book when I was around 12 years old, The Laziness of Peter Rabbit. Click here to see it on this site in all its glory.
Anytime we did a special project at school, I chose to write, including a newspaper that discussed Huckleberry Finn and a play about the Pullman railway car. When we were learning about Vienna, Austria in grade school, I wrote the words to a song for part of a report (but my partner sang it because I can’t carry a tune worth pinto beans).I also wrote a really bad novel when I was 12 or 13. It was exciting to type 144 pages, especially the last page where I wrote THE END.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Regional Advisor Emeritus (RAE), served 10 years
- Author’s Guild (AG)
- Colorado Author’s League (CAL)
- Former Board Member, Reach Out and Read Colorado (RORCO)
- Associate Member, Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association
CURRENT/PAST FACULTY POSITIONS
- Fiction and Young Adult Mentor, Regis University MFA in Creative Writing, (I also facilitate an optional picture book writing semester)
- Adjunct Faculty, Professional Creative Writing Program, University College at the University of Denver, overview of Children’s Literature
- Faculty, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, writing for children and young adults
WHAT I’M READING
OTHER INFORMATION
See below for some of my favorite things and answers to question I get asked most often.
VIDEOS
Fave Places
The mountains of Colorado
The Caribbean
Wherever my family is
Fave Candy and Snacks
HU Salty Dark Chocolate bar
HU Crunchy Mint Chocolate bar
Chips and salsa or guac
Fave Foods
Pinto beans
Black beans
Haas Avocados
French Fries (but I’m picky)
Roasted cauliflower (it’s true)
Fave Ice Cream
Fruit sorbets, especially mango
Vegan chocolate ice cream
Non-dairy Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia
Fave Holiday
Halloween for a long time, but now it’s
Thanksgiving because we have a fabulous
“Leftover Turkey Show” – a variety show in which many family members perform
Fave Color(s)
Black
Deep purple
Teal
Fuschia
FAQs About Denise
When and where were you born?
Where did you go to school?
Elementary/Middle School: All Souls School, Englewood, CO
High School: Arapahoe High School, Littleton, CO (with one year at Bishop Moore High School, Orlando, FL)
College: B.A., UCLA (1st two years at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO)
Post-grad: Ed.M. (Masters in Education), Harvard University
Do you have any kids?
I’m married to a man I’ve known since I was sixteen, but we didn’t start dating until we were in college. We have three adult kids–Zachary, Jesse (girl), and Rayanne. They are AWESOME!
Where do you live?
Do you have any pets?
Not anymore. We do have three grandpuppies now since each of our kids has a dog.
Do you have any siblings?
What kind of music do you like?
What’s your shoe size?
Where do you get your ideas for your books?
Did you always want to be a writer?
Ancient writing artifact – I wrote my first novel on this typewriter when I was 15
When I was really young, I wanted to be a vet, then a firefighter, then a dancer. In junior high and high school I wanted to be either an actor or a writer. As I entered college, writing started to grab my interest more.
What influenced you in your writing?
Marietta Brown (5th or 6th grade English – I’m still friends with her!), Sally McCabe who taught me English in 7th and 8th grade (she passed away several years ago – very sad), and Nancy Fehrmann Roach (now Fehrmann again), who was my literature teacher in 7th and 8th grade, Miss Ferrill in 9th, Mr. Rahn Anderson in 10th.the list goes on. All of them gave me encouragement and made me feel like a writer, as well as my parents, who also supported me early on.
Books were also a big influence. I read a lot as a kid and beyond and wanted to be able to create stories that readers could relate to, just as I related to the books I read. I wanted to entertain, but also maybe give readers insights, too.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
Whoa. Huh. Good question. I would probably work behind the scenes in movies or in the theater or teach writing (which I do now, but would do more of if I couldn’t write for some reason). I am also studying to be a Nutrition Master Therapist and plan to help people support their health through food and nutrition.
What else are you interested in?
The bowl and cushion fit perfectly on a stool my grandmother bought while living in India.
Meditation, yoga, Zumba, jogging/running and I LOVE nature, especially the mountains and the water there–put me next to a stream, river, waterfall and I’m in heaven. Love the ocean too—especially the Caribbean—but I definitely have mountain blood running through my veins.
A little sound goes a long way.
Check out my gorgeous Tibetan singing bowl, giving to me by the lovely and talented Ann Martin of Mile High Healing Vibe! Often I put it on my head and tap it to clear my mind before I begin to write. It’s amazing!
