Biography
Darlene Beck-Jacobson has loved writing since she was a girl. "I wrote letters to everyone I knew and made up stories in my head. I even sent letters to pop stars of the day professing my adoration. Unfortunately, they never wrote back. Now, I'm lucky enough to have some of my stories published," Darlene says.
As a freelance writer and children's book author, Darlene's stories have appeared in CICADA, CRICKET, and other magazines. As a teacher and speech therapist working with Preschool and Kindergarten aged children, Darlene has many opportunities for story ideas. Working with young children allows her the freedom to be as silly as she wants to an appreciative audience of 3-6 year olds. "I can walk into the classroom wearing a chicken hat and still get hugs," Darlene says.
Darlene is torn between this silliness and a more serious side. Many of her works explore how family and history converge through children's eyes. One such project is a middle grade novel of historical fiction set in 1909 in Washington, DC when Theodore Roosevelt was president. It involves a young girl's attempt to save the family business, leading her on an adventure and a meeting with the president.
Darlene's historical YA novel-in-progress explores the coming of age of two sisters growing up in the coal mining area of Pennsylvania during the 1920's. A chapter from this novel appeared in the March 2001 issue of CRICKET Magazine.
Tapping into Beck-Jacobson's silly side, are two children's picture book projects. "After many years of fighting to get rid of dustbunnies at home and at work, I decided to let dustbunnies live in peace, free from fear of the vacuum," Darlene says. One such picture book celebrates a dustbunny's new found freedom.
A second picture book follows the escapades of a horse who refuses to drink water and gallops away in search of the perfect drink.
Darlene Beck-Jacobson also enjoys creating scrapbooks about her travels to Europe and Australia. She crochets and does crazy quilting when she needs a break from writing. Darlene lives and writes her children's stories in New Jersey with her family, a cat and a house full of dustbunnies.