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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Like the title of this website states, my name is Dora J. Simpson . . . and yes, I like to explore and travel, but I am not that Dora (obviously); and to clarify even further, I am not related in any way to Bart, Homer, Marge, Lisa, or Maggie—though, blue hair would be cool.
“The only thing I had going for me was an inability to let writing go. And becoming a writer is really just developing the ability to remain interested in it. To keep coming back to it.”
Michael Melgaard
I find that Michael Melgaard's words sum me up completely. There is only one thing that I continuously come back to consistently. I love to write. Writing about YA fantasy involving faeries and Druids is a passion, but children's picture books is like eating a gooey, chocolatey brownie, one is never enough!
THE BEGINNINGS
THE BEGINNINGS
I was born the second of five children in a tiny, unknown town nestled between two major cities. As a shy child, I escaped into the pages of countless books and transformed our family farm into my personal Neverland, where I lived out grand adventures as one of Peter Pan's Lost Kids.
Though writing had always captivated me, I never envisioned it destiny—art, like Disney, was my calling. All that changed my first year at college where my writing made an impression on my Composition Professor, who encouraged me to enter a story into a writing competition. That third-place finish opened my eyes to new possibilities.
My journey into children's literature began unexpectedly as well. While watching my daughter's pure delight as we read her beloved stories together revealed the profound impact of introducing quality books early in a child's life. This understanding deepened years later when a niece asked guest to bring books rather than cards to her baby shower. But I was at a loss when it came to what book I should purchase. I wanted to acquire something meaningful for my niece's baby—a special book to welcome her first child into the world that she would read over and over.
And like Beverly Clearly once said, “If you don’t see the book you want on the shelf, write it.”
So, I wrote one!
WHO I AM NOW
WHO I AM NOW
Turns out, I wasn't shy when I was a kid, I just prefer one-on-one friendships and the quiet corners of a library over a loud playground filled with rowdy kids! Today. I'm still an introvert. That is GREAT news for a writer's lifestyle! TERRIBLE, however, for marketing and selling one's books or oneself as a writer. This is my daily struggle.
Which makes me one of those people. You know the kind. The ones that have Golden Glitter ALL over them! Yes, I am always covered in dog hair. Goodwill doesn't even want my furniture! I have three amazing and beautiful--but sassy--dogs, Nash (a 4-year-old Golden Retriever), Bella (a 3-year-old Great Pyrenees / Siberian Husky), and Duke (a 2-year-old Golden Retriever). All three are spoiled tremendously. When I am not writing, they take up all of my time. And of course, I built them a doggie park with ramps, platforms, and towers, (thanks YouTube) so they can have plenty of playtime in their own backyard.
No surprise, these three darlings have debuted in a few of my stories, for example, Bella has appeared in "Searching for Starlight" and "Searching for Hopper: Pawprints in Snow"; Duke is the mischievous Hopper in "Hopper's Halloween Hiccup" and "Search for Hopper: Pawprints in Snow"; while Nash showed up as Fasa in the latter, "Pawprints".
Nash
Nash
Nash arrived in our lives on December 12th, 2020—a pandemic puppy born to a wonderful Amish family who also happened to be the parents of his parents, the Sir and Dame. One text message photo was all it took. Love at first sight doesn't even begin to cover it, and I'm pretty sure Nash felt the same way.
These days, Nash is working toward his Canine Good Citizen certification, though he nearly sabotaged his entire Golden Retriever class during their final exam. Apparently, he was still holding a grudge about me abandoning him for a whole week to attend the Writer's Digest Conference in New York. Who knew dogs could be such drama kings?
And to top everything off? He now has to compete with two others for my attention. He really is a patient soul, always waiting his turn, letting Duke claim the ball, frisbee, tug-rope, or even his couch space and lap time. But we have our special walks and playtime moments to make up for all the sacrifices he makes.
Nash serves as my constant companion and caretaker, nudging me toward meals, reminding me about medication, alerting me to visitors, and even prompting me when it's time for their daily walks. When Duke went missing last winter, just before Christmas, Nash proved his loyalty in remarkable ways. When I slipped on unstable snow and tumbled down a hillside, he quickly positioned himself to block my fall. He also demonstrated his tracking skills by following Duke's pawprints through the snow, ultimately leading us to Duke's rescue.
Bella
Bella
Bella came into my world on a picture-perfect day before Easter 2022. Born December 18, 2021, she was already four months old when I spotted her adoption photo online—and just like that, I was smitten again. I drove over an hour to Jellystone Barks Rescue Rangers in Yorkville, Illinois, to bring this sweet girl home.
I'm not entirely sure why someone surrendered such a beautiful pup, though I suspect it had something to do with hip dysplasia running in her family line. At six months old, I discovered Bella had severe hip dysplasia in both hips, with bone fracturing already happening in her left hip. She needs specialty care for life, but I'm all in—we're a team.
At three years old, Bella just had her first FHO surgery on her left hip this past May, and she's recovering like the champion she is. Her left knee will be our next adventure, but we're taking it one step at a time. The best part? She never lets any of it slow down her zest for life.
Duke
Duke
Duke joined my pack on his nine-month birthday—June 26, 2023—after a rocky start in life. His first eight months were spent with someone who wasn't ready for puppy parenthood, followed by a month in foster care where dedicated volunteers worked overtime to teach him the basics of being a good boy.
When Duke arrived at my house, his "good boy status" was definitely a work in progress (and honestly, some days it still is—any sane dog parent knows we're all just winging it!). This sweet soul has endless love to give and enough energy to power a small city, but patience? Not so much. When Duke wants something, he wants it NOW, not in five minutes, and certainly not after I finish this cup of coffee.
His early rough start left him afraid of just about everything, including his own name. Originally called Levi, he flinched every time someone said it, so his foster family renamed him Duke. I quickly discovered he was terrified of leashes—so much so that he had an accident the first time I tried to clip one on. His inaugural walk was, let's say, an adventure neither of us wants to repeat.
The good news? Duke fits perfectly with Bella and Nash, loves puppy daycare, and has claimed his spot as my nighttime lap warmer and bed buddy (much to Nash's dismay). There's definitely some Golden boy rivalry for my attention, and he's still working through his fear of people, dogs, and anything that moves outside his territory. But we start one-on-one training next week, and I have faith in this resilient little guy.
MY PASSIONS COLLIDE
MY PASSIONS COLLIDE
As stated earlier, I love to explore. When I travel, I don't just sit on a beach soaking up the sun or find the chic shopping center to spend my afternoon and dollars in. I search out what makes that place charming and special. I love to take a camera to record the physical look of the place, but I will also jot down what I see, how it makes me feel or what it reminds me of, and how it smells in my notes. If there are any unique sounds to the place or conversations, I capture those as well.
Of course, traveling cannot happen in my household unless there is planning involved--lots of planning, often involving lots of spreadsheets in Excel. In fact, in an effort to plan a month-long trip throughout Europe that my husband and I took with our then fifteen-year-old son, I created a 265-page itinerary book. The process of creating this book led me to believe I might have a borderline case of OCD, which naturally lead me to write a short story about what it might look like if God had OCD during his six days of creation.
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