Poison Diaries : Nightshade

Maryrose Wood

"I grew up in the wild suburbs of Long Island, moved to New York City at age 17 to study acting at New York University, and dropped out to be in the chorus of a Broadway musical — which flopped. The show was "Merrily We Roll Along," with a glorious score by Stephen Sondheim. Go listen to the album, you will love.

"Lean and action-packed years of acting, directing, and making drunk people laugh at comedy clubs followed. Becoming a writer seemed the only way out of this Dickensian existence. Little did I know!

"I started out writing for the theater and film, as a lyricist, librettist, playwright and screenwriter. I am proud to be the first recipient of the Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award, and a three-time recipient of the Richard Rodgers Award for New Musicals, which is administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Yes, you may call me Miss Fancy Pants.

"By 2004 or so I finally was able to woman up and write my first novel for teens .. 

"2010 saw the launch of my first middle-grade series, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (starred reviews in Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ and Publishers Weekly, Junior Library Guild selection, yesss!), and a new gothic YA trilogy called The Poison Diaries.

"For fun I like to garden, bike, kayak, nap, read books and whip up new vegetarian recipes. I live in New York with my two kids, two cats and a small, feisty, red-headed dog.

Biography and author photo taken from Maryrose Wood's website (www.maryrosewood.com).