AuthorFest and Greenwood’s Second Graders Welcome Erin Dionne on Thursday, March 21.
Erin Dionne wanted to be a writer since she was seven years old. She loved books and reading so much that she thought writing books must be even better than reading them (Erin was also pretty sure that authors spent a lot of time in their pajamas). So that seemed like a good deal.
After attending Boston College, where she majored in English and Communications, Erin went to graduate school at Emerson College to get her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. In college, she wrote lots of terrible short stories about boring adults and their boring problems, but when Erin went to graduate school, she discovered that her stories were much better when the characters were kids. Their problems and situations were way more interesting.
It took seven years of hard work to get her first book published, and she still works really hard on every story that she writes. But Erin’s seven-year-old self would be happy to know that she was right: being a writer is the best job ever. And although she doesn't get to work in her pajamas all the time.... sometimes she does!
Erin’s first picture book, Captain’s Log: Snowbound, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler, was released in 2018 and received a starred review from Kirkus. When his Ernest Shackleton report is ironically quashed because of a snowstorm, a school cancellation-celebrating elementary schooler chronicles his adventures at home with hilarious log entries and read-aloud-friendly results. The captain's belongings start to go missing while homebound due to weather, and humorous attacks and pell-mell mutiny follow. After a series of snow day events, the crew (the captain's parents), the first mate (his trusty dog), and the scallywag (also known as the younger sibling) are freed from their snowbound home, and the captain returns to school.
Erin Dionne is also the author of 5 other books for young readers, including Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking: A 14 Day Mystery, based on the real-life Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist and was a 2014 Edgar Award finalist. The series continues with Ollie and the Science of Treasure Hunting. Erin’s other tween novels include: Lights, Camera, Disaster; Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies; The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet; and Notes from an Accidental Band Geek.
Erin teaches at Montserrat College of Art and lives outside of Boston with her husband, two children, and a very indignant dog. To learn more about Erin and her books, visit: erindionne.com