Biography

I was born in Los Angeles and grew up about thirty minutes from the beach (in bicycle time). I wanted to be a scuba diver, actress, biologist, teacher and writer - in that order - and became all but the actress (unless you count being in my high school play).

I'm half Greek and was adopted by Greek parents (so, by default, that makes me at least three quarters Greek). I'm also an only child but my extended Greek family all lived close by which meant my cousins were like brothers and sisters to me.

Three of my friends and I started a band in high school. I played bass. Unfortunately, I'm a terrible singer but they let me stay anyway.

I was always pretty good at drawing and art stuff. Then, just before my senior year in high school, I was in charge of the nature zoo at a summer camp and fell in love with insects and lizards and tarantulas. So I decided to major in biology, ultimately becoming a natural science educator and illustrator.

My illustrations have appeared on notecards, posters, pins, fabric bags and book covers and in newspapers, scientific journals, brochures, magazines and books. As a writer, my work has been in magazines and books. I am the author/illustrator of six middle-grade books on plants and animals and the illustrator of a picture book on the rock cycle as well as the illustrator of a book for adults on California chaparral.

I live in the San Gabriel Mountain foothills near L.A. with my botanist husband. Wild animals such as black bear, mule deer, raccoons, red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures pass through or over our back yard. (Look on this website for the photo of the bear sleeping on our back lawn.)

FAQs

Do you have any pets?
Yes, two cats: Gonzo and Tika. Before that we had two other cats, Furball and Fuzzball. And when I was in high school, I had mice, rats, snakes and tarantulas.

Why did you become a writer/did you always want to be a writer?
I always loved to read, first comic books and then chapter books. And I think I was always pretty good at writing in school but I didn't think of becoming a writer until I was a science teacher and decided to write (and illustrate) my own book about plants and animals.

What was your favorite book when you were a kid?
When I was in third grade, I found a book in the school library about caves. I loved that book and studied it so that someday I could find my own cave and go on an adventure. Since then I've been in about ten caves in the United States and one in England but have yet to discover my own.

In fiction, I can't think of any one book that was my favorite although The Ugly Duckling and Beauty and the Beast stand out in my mind, probably because they teach us that we should never judge anyone only by what we can see on the surface.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Art in elementary school, science in middle school and English and Drama in high school.

Did you go to college? Yes.
What did you study?
I have a degree in biology and took a bunch of geography classes for fun.

What is your favorite animal?
I'm partial to mice and baby animals of almost any kind. Except maybe barn owl babies because they're really ugly.

Do you listen to music when you write/do you have favorite bands?
Almost always. I have a playlist of about ninety songs (and growing) that I put on repeat and listen to all day long. Many of them are New Age-y piano instrumentals such as "Expression" by Helen Jane Long and "Cristofori's Dream" by David Lanz. I also like the a cappella band Overtone, Kansas and the Backstreet Boys.

Where do you write?
I have a great space at home with a big desk, bookshelves on the wall and a place to draw. But my favorite place, especially when I'm trying to work out a story problem or am doing writing revisions, is at my local Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf with a tea latte or iced tea within arm's reach.

Which of your books is your favorite?
America's Deserts, Guide to Plants and Animals was my first kid's book so that will always be special to me. And I love America's Seashores because I wanted to be a scuba diver when I was twelve years old and have always loved beachcombing and tide-pool hunting. Each of my books has a special memory associated with it - I guess I love 'em all.

More favorites:

Clothes: jeans and a t-shirt.

Shoes: I've got the greatest lace-up, calf-high, golden brown, leather western boots. But I'm usually barefoot or in white cross-trainers.

Vacation spots: camping with my family in the Eastern Sierra at 9,500 ft.

Sport: hiking. I guess that's more of an activity. I also like swimming - does that count as a sport?

Color: earthy colors like golden browns, warm greens, rusty reds.

Movie: any love story with a happy ending. And romantic comedies. And science fiction.

Music: rich instrumentals when I'm writing, upbeat music I can sing along and dance to when I'm dragging in the mid-afternoon. (I get up and dance around my office when I hear "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins. Good thing I work alone...)

Food: sweet potato fries.

Drink: iced tea, unsweetened.

© 2010 Marianne D. Wallace