TRACY EDWARD WYMER

I was born in West Plains, Missouri. I grew up in the Midwest (Missouri and Indiana) and will always consider myself a Midwesterner, more specifically, a Hoosier. Yes, that’s right. I’m from the great state of Indiana, where basketball and corn fields rule. But I spent most of my childhood playing some form of baseball–some days it was stick ball, others it was whiffle ball–and going to church. My dad is a minister, so going to church was our “normal.”

 

School was not kind to me. Or should I say, I was not kind to school. I was a class clown and never made outstanding grades. The funny thing is, I really enjoyed reading, just not the books teachers wanted me to read. When I wasn’t outside playing baseball, you could usually find me on the couch with a book–probably Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (by Roald Dahl) or something similar.

 

I turned the corner and became a decent student, and to this day I love learning more than almost anything. I guess it goes to show that not every child is destined for straight As or the top of the class.

 

Eventually, I graduated from Indiana University, where I played baseball and wrote stories. My favorite two classes were ornithology (studying birds) and creative writing. And believe it or not, I now teach both of those skills. Funny how life works.

 

Now I’m all grown up and live in Los Angeles with my family. When I’m not teaching and writing stories, I like these things: reading, movies. mountain biking, my family, sports, laughing. All of that stuff gives me life and makes me want to live forever.