Liza Ketchum

writer

Liza Ketchum has been making up stories ever since she was a little girl. She lived on a dirt road in Vermont with few other children nearby. Not having a television until she was much older, Liza had to make her own entertainment. During her junior year at Sarah Lawrence College, she studied with a wonderful writing teacher named Harvey Swados. He sent his students on strange, exciting assignments in New York City, wandering all over the city, taking notes on conversations and soaking up smells, textures, and tastes. From the class, Liza learned that some of the best writing comes from experience. She also studied education in college, and ran her first writing workshop for children. After graduation, Liza worked in special education in Washington, D.C., then lived in England and wrote a book about some of their most exciting schools. When she returned to Vermont, Liza started my own pre-school, using some of the teaching ideas she had seen in England. Her first novel, *West Against the Wind* was published in 1987 and she has been writing for young readers ever since. Liza also carry on her love of teaching by visiting schools, and by running writing workshops for students of all ages. In 2001, she joined the faculty of the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, where she considers herself privileged to teach adult writers who are also creating stories for young readers.