(The following was written by Allie in 2014, after she wrote the second in the Kenzi series. In 2015, as a senior in high school, Allie wrote the third installment in the Kenzi series, entitled Different But the Same. MDP and Dolls for Daughters were fortunate to have her as part of these three projects encompassing social and environmental issues.)
I’m sixteen years old and a junior at Fleming Island High. (Go Eagles!) Growing up, I played three years of softball, two years of soccer and basketball. Softball, by far, was my preferred fall activity.
In school, I like to learn about the sciences—anatomy is currently my focus. I’ve always been a history buff, though! Another great class, and probably my overall favorite, is photography. Finally, I’ve narrowed my career choices to two—a professional photographer or an editor.
I can’t tell you when I first gained an interest in writing. I remember always putting pen to paper and letting my imagination take over, whether it was a short story about a zombie apocalypse or, more embarrassingly, a tale about vampires. Silly Sally’s Show-and-Tell is my first real work, followed by A Day in the Forest, the second book in this children’s series, and I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of them. To already have a foothold in a possible career at such a young age is amazing and wonderful. I’m so incredibly lucky and thankful for the opportunity provided by my loving and dedicated Aunt Jess.
Where is my next stop in my writing career? I’ve had a lot of ideas, and numerous pitches from teachers and friends—most of them quite amusing. The first pitch was to write about my ninth grade world geography teacher, Mr. Gunder (G-Funk; Best Teacher in the World). I suppose, though, I’m going to write about my high school life and, of course, include my favorite teacher and friends who’ve inspired me to take a huge leap in my life—and grow confident about myself.
So far, high school has been the best time of my life—a time of growth. I think that will be the best story I can tell.
