I grew up in the farm country of upstate New York, at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains--there was lots of blackberry picking, pigs and chickens, cats and kittens, bikes, bees, homemade bread-and-butter pickles, sweet corn, and pure maple syrup. Lots of wood-stacking and lawn-mowing, too. My sisters and I (and later my brother) spent a lot of time making tiny campfires in the driveway and singing loudly in the hay barn. I still think of myself as a country girl in New York City, where I headed straight after college. Many years have passed and I'm still in love with the place--all these millions of people living together in relative peace--the sound and the stink and the beauty and the buildings--it's where I feel most myself.My first novel was Dessert First, about a self-centered (but still charming, I hope!) eight year old who loves food, especially sweet food. There are three books about her in all, Dessert First, Just Desserts, and No Room for Dessert.And in June 2011 came my first picture book, Mitchell's License, illustrated by Tony Fucile, about a kid who gets to drive his dad to bed. In September 2013 comes Mitchell Goes Bowling, and I'm grateful to Antonio and Larry at Hanover Lanes on Route 10 in New Jersey for helping me out with it. There's another picture book coming too, starring my son Marshall and his quest for gingerbread men--I love the title. It's called Catch That Cookie!, and it's being illustrated by David Small and published in Fall 2014. Hats off to Mrs. Gray at Morrow Memorial Preschool, in Maplewood, NJ, for the inspiration!Please come see me on my brand-new web site, where I'll be writing a blog every month: halliedurand.com. I also have a facebook page: facebook.com/halliedurand.See you around!