Natasha friend author biography example
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Natasha Friend was born to an English professor father and a poet/actress mother. She was raised in a house without a television. At the time, she thought this was the worst form of child abuse. Now, she understands the method to her parents' madness: they wanted her to be a reader. Spending most of her childhood at the Hamilton Public Library, Natasha funnen her mecca, the young-adult section, and her hero, Judy Blume. She, too, wanted to write stories about girls who felt alone. Girls whose parents were screw-ups. Girls with spunk and spirit and resolve. Natasha began dictating stories to her father, who typed them up on his 1930's Remington typewriter. Most involved rainbows, unicorns, and poor orphan girls discovering treasure. She knew she was supposed to be a writer in seventh grade, when a sweet boy gave her a love poem and she felt compelled to correct it for syntax and rhyme scheme. Today, Natasha is the award-winning author of Perfect, Lush, Bounce, For Keeps, and My Life inom
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Friend, Natasha 1972–
PERSONAL:
Born April 28, 1972, in Norwich, NY; married; husband's name Erik; children: Jack, Ben. Education: Bates College, B.A., 1994; Clemson University, M.A.
ADDRESSES:
Home—CT.
CAREER:
Writer and teacher. Former teacher at Brearley School, New York, NY, and École Bilingue, Cambridge, MA. Brimmer and May Summer Camp, Chestnut Hill, MA, former director.
AWARDS, HONORS:
Milkweed Prize for Children's Literature, and Golden Sower Award, both for Perfect; Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers citation, American Library Association, for Lush.
WRITINGS:
Perfect, Milkweed Editions (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.
Lush, Milkweed Editions (Minneapolis, MN), 2006.
Bounce, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2007.
Contributor to periodicals, including Family Fun, and to anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul.
SIDELIGHTS:
Natasha Friend worked as a teacher before she got her start writing novels for young adults. Her first book, Perfect
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The Wolves Are Waiting by Natasha Friend is an incredible portrayal of how one girl’s sexual assault changes everyone around her – and how finding her voice can help change her whole community. It feels like Speak for a new generation. But instead of just following Nora and her harrowing journey, we get a glimpse at the people around her – from her best friend, her brother, and her parents – and how their actions can help affect healing. We got to chat with Natasha Friend about The Wolves Are Waiting, the inspiration behind the book and some of the deeper themes within!
What was your initial inspiration for The Wolves Are Waiting?
Like my protagonist, Nora Melchionda, I grew up in a small college town in upstate New York. Like Nora, I spent much of my youth on campus, cheering for the male athletesat their basketball, hockey, and football games—worshipping them from afar. The idea for Wolves came from the three Division-I football players I met the summer I was