From my earliest years I thought of myself as a poet and painter. As a child in Hollywood, I also acted on the radio. At twenty, I graduated from the University of Southern California, married,and soon moved to New England. It wasn't until the youngest of our five children entered school that I began writing picture books, and in the past ten years I've gravitated to writing young adult novels as well. My books include the Reading Rainbow selection, "I Am An Artist", and the recent sequel, "I Am a Dancer". My newest historical novel is "Daughter of Winter". Set in Essex, MA in 1849, it was a must read Finalist for the 2011 Mass Book Award and an ALA Amelia Bloomer pick. "Hidden Voices, The Orphan Musicians of Venice", also published by Candlewick Press, was a finalist for the Boston Author's Club 2010 Children's Book Award. It was nominated for a Cybil Award, and was chosen for ALA's 2010 Rainbow List. My young adult novel in free verse, "The Fattening Hut", won the Boston Author's Club 2004 Julia Ward Howe Award and was a Book Sense Pick and ALA Amelia Bloomer choice. My newest picture book, "The Deer Watch", received a starred review from Booklist and was featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe. A chapbook of my poems, "The Quiet Woman Wakes Up Shouting", is one in a series of chapbook originals published by Folly Cove Books. I teach in Lesley University's MFA program in creative writing and live and work in Rockport, MA, where I operate Pen & Brush, a working studio and gallery. My web site for both my books and fine art and illustrations is www.patlowerycollins.com.