Me on my first birthday, or Dol (in Korean). I am wearing my birthday hanbok (traditional dress). This pic was taken moments before my 3-yr old brother took my Dapper Dan away from me.
I was born in the Bronx and grew up on Long Island where I spent most of my free time reading Teen Beat magazine and Archie comics and going to the local multiplex. Thinking I'd one day become a professor/diplomat/world traveler, I attended Tufts University and studied International Relations and Asian Studies. Instead, I followed my heart and moved to L.A., where I received an M.F.A. from USC's School of Cinematic Arts and discovered what made me happy: telling stories.
After graduating, I was selected to participate in the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters Lab with my first feature script, The Lost Tribe of Long Island. All the experiences I have had - personal, professional, creative - lead me to write You Are (Not) Small, my debut picture book. Being able to create it with my talented illustrator-husband, Christopher Weyant, has made the journey all the more rewarding.
Above all, I have my parents to thank for supporting me and for always teaching me to work hard and dream big.