I am so excited to get to know this member! She is always smiling and ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed. Her book Ebb and Flow is a personal favorite, and I highly recommend it to all our local young readers. Please enjoy!
Favorite book as a child and why?
The Road to Agra by Aimee Somerfelt in which Lalu takes his younger sister Maya on a long journey in hopes that a doctor can cure her failing vision. I loved reading about India, and I thought Lalu was brave and resourceful protecting Maya from the dangerous things that happen along their trek. It was the first chapter book I remember reading myself.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I am a retired educator having served as both a classroom teacher and a school librarian in Henrico County, Virginia. I moved to Pine Knoll Shores eight years ago with my daughter Adele. We share our house with a standard poodle named Poppy Mae. I love small town life and the beauty of living in a maritime forest between the ocean and the sound.
What does literary success look like to you?
Children having the opportunity to read and discuss the books I have written.
When did you discover your love of writing?
I enjoyed writing stories as far back as first grade at Ridge Elementary School. I used a fat pencil and stacks of wide-lined paper. My favorite homework assignment was to create a story incorporating our weekly list of spelling words. It was like a challenging word puzzle to fit them seamlessly into a story.
My grandfather who taught high school English in Louisville, Kentucky was a poet and playwright. My dad worked as a technical writer for Reynolds Metals Company and reviewed books for the Louisville Courier Journal, so I guess I inherited my love of writing from two generations of McCrearys.
What is your favorite writing genre?
Historical fiction. I enjoy my volunteer work as a curator at the History Museum of Carteret County. That was a major inspiration for my book Ebb and Flow: Lewis’s Story of Shackleford Banks. I like researching different time periods through primary source documents and other materials, listening to people’s stories, and taking “field trips.”
Do you explore any other creative mediums besides writing?
I sew “Quiet Books” made with felt for toddlers. I like thinking of different page designs and the mechanics involved in making each page interactive for their creative play. One of my favorite pages is a mouse finger-puppet whose tail wraps around a hole in his block of Swiss cheese!
What have you learned the most since becoming involved with Carteret Writers?
How much I deeply appreciate the constructive feedback of my writing critique group – Portkey Writers. I need the structure of writing deadlines for our monthly meetings, and I rely on my fellow writers’ honest comments and suggestions, and most of all, their encouragement.
Favorite under appreciated novel?
I wish more people knew about The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan with illustrations by Laurel Long. Published in 2004, it was part of the Julie Andrews collection. It is a long chapter book, great for holiday family reading with children. It is full of fantasy and adventure, even a little romance, and has a timeless classic feel.
How many unfinished writing pieces do you have in the works?
Two right now – Brick by Brick: Samuel’s Story of Fort Macon and Face to Face: Jossie’s Story of Morehead City.
Best money spent as a writer?
Tuition for the Children’s Literature Conferences I attended at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. Notable children’s authors and illustrators gave presentations and conducted workshops about their creative processes that were informative, entertaining, and inspirational. I came away energized both times!
