MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX - APRIL'S AUTHOR by Sharon Tregenza

MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX

Margaret Peterson Haddix was born on April 9th 1964 in Ohio, United States. She is best known for the two children's series, Shadow Children and The Missing.

Haddix grew up on a farm halfway between two small towns: Washington Court House and Sabina. Her father was a farmer and her mother a nurse - but as far back as she could remember she wanted to be a writer. 

With her mother and little sister when she was six.

All her family loved to read and Margaret was no exception. 

Here with her favourite Christmas presents when she was ten.

Showing hogs at the county fair as a teenager.

Haddix went off to college and although she did major in Creative Writing she decided to hedge her bets and also majored in journalism. During college she worked on the school newspaper and had internships at several others. After graduating she moved to Indianapolis to work on a newspaper there.

She married her husband Doug who she'd met at college and who had also gone into journalism right after graduation. A complication arose when he got a job as city editor which meant he would be her boss. They decided this probably wasn't a good idea and that now would be a good time for Margaret to concentrate on her first love - fiction writing. She took part time jobs and they also decided to start a family.

She went through the usual agonising time of submitting to publishers and being rejected before having two book accepted at once. At the time her daughter was only eighteen months old and she was pregnant with her son.

Five facts about Margaret Peterson Haddix:

1. It took her four years to complete her first book.

2. Her father was a wonderful storyteller and encouraged her love of writing.

3. Many of her books have been named ALA Best Books for Young Adults.

4. In high school she played flute and piccolo for the marching band.

5. She's written more than 30 books for children and teenagers.


Now that her children have grown up Margaret and her husband live in Columbus, Ohio.


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