About the Author
Annie Frances Pen
Annie Frances grew up on a Wisconsin farm surrounded by generations of storytellers. From those early days listening at the doily-covered tables of the grownups, and to those who made the pilgrimage back to the homestead, she discovered a love of both lived and imagined adventures.
Out of high school, she shared stories beyond the farmhouse to the art studios and writing classes of Chicago, and eventually returned back to her kingdom where she currently resides on a small 20-acre retreat with her husband.
For years she managed other people’s journeys working in the travel industry, which allowed her to travel around the world to sit and listen at many other kitchen tables. No matter where she goes, Annie finds stories waiting everywhere, but especially in genealogy, cooking classes, campgrounds, or even office supply aisles, her secret indulgence.
Today, Annie brings that same sense of wonder to her middle grade novels, exploring themes of adventure, friendship, legacy, and loss. A champion of children’s literacy, she writes to spark curiosity and joy in young readers, inviting them to see that adventure can be found anywhere if you know how to dig for the treasures.
Community & Practice
Writing may feel like a solitary adventure, but I’ve found it to be richer when I’m surrounded by community. I’m grateful for my beta readers, sprint groups, especially the Awesomeness team, and the London Writer’s Salon, who keep me accountable and inspired, and for my critique partners and friends in All The Write Thrills, who challenge me to dig deeper into every draft they are so willing to read. I’ve also grown through courses with HappyWriter and the incredible community that has emerged. Together, these groups and so many more to mention remind me that stories aren’t just written alone, they’re built through connection, encouragement, and honest feedback.
The Daily Habit
For me, writing and reading go hand in hand. Every day, I carve out time for both. Reading fuels my imagination and helps me listen for good storytelling; writing gives me the practice to shape my own prose. Most days the words come easily, other days in editing they are slower, but showing up daily keeps the stories I want to tell alive and reminds me that creativity is a journey worth taking one page at a time.Literacy Note: Reading to children, according to the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, shows kids who are read one book per day up to kindergarten hear approximately 290,000 words. If you increase the books to five per day, exposure increases to 1.4 million words. Astounding numbers, wouldn’t you agree?
