N.L. Sharp
A Teacher Who Writes
A Writer Who Teaches
A Little About Author N. L. Sharp
MY EDUCATION
I have a Bacherlor's Degree in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and
Instruction from
the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in the area of Language Arts (with an emphasis in Writing) and an endorsement in Educational
Library
Media from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
I have
taught kindergarten, first, second, and third grade,
served as a READ (Reading Enrichment and Development) teacher, an
Instructional
Facilitator, and a Library Media Specialist.
I currently serve as an independent writing consultant for schools while I continue to study, write, and hone my own writing skills.
MY BOOKS AND
AWARDS
The Flower Girl / The Ring Bear: A Flip-Over Book, published by Prairieland Press, illustrated by James
Hantula, is a 2011 Nebraska Center for the Book Award Winner and a 2010 iParenting Media Award winner.
Effie's Image,
published by Prairieland Press, an Accelerated Reader title, was
named a Teacher's Choice Award Winner by Learning Magazine in 2006, was a
Nebraska Golden Sower Children's Choice nominee in 2007-2008, and was
named an Honor Book in the children's category of the Nebraska
Center for the Book Awards Program in 2005.
The Ring Bear, published by Dageforde Publishing,
was selected as the 2004 winner in the children’s category by Nebraska’s
Center
for the Book.
Today I'm Going Fishing with My Dad, published
by Boyds Mills Press, was
a
Nebraska Golden Sower Children’s Choice nominee in 1995-1996 and is also an
Accelerated Reader title.
MY BACKGROUND
I am a writer from Fremont, Nebraska.Born in
the heart of the Sandhills (Valentine, Nebraska) I attended a one-room
country
schoolhouse where I was the only one in my class from kindergarten
through the
fifth grade.I loved school and
books, and whenever anyone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew
up, the
answer was always the same: a writer and teacher.
At the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, however, I
majored in business--so I wouldn't starve--and took as many writing
courses as
I could. One day, my advisor told me I needed to take business courses,
not
electives, if I ever planned to graduate. Instead, following the lead of
a
roommate and the advice of a writing teacher, I switched my major to
elementary
education, concentrating once again on my first two loves.
Once I became a teacher, though, I allowed my love
of teaching to overshadow my desire to become a writer.I
got married, had three sons, and
began to work on furthering my professional education. Before I knew it,
years
had passed and I had not written anything but parent newsletters and
college
research papers.I began to write
and submit my stories in earnest, and my first book, Today I'm Going Fishing with My Dad, was accepted for publication in 1991.
Right now, I
am
taking some time away from the classroom so I may concentrate on
writing books for children. I am a wife, the mother of three sons and one
daughter-in-law, and the grandmother of two adorable girls. I am also a
daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a cousin, and a friend, and all
of these roles give me great joy and endless ideas for writing!
