Humboldt Authorfest / Natasha Wing

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Natasha Wing is a children's author and photographer. She writes fiction, concept books, and holiday books. She has also been published in children's magazines, such as Highlights, Babybug and Ladybug.

Natasha is interested in a variety of topics - one reason why she writes children's books. "I explore the things I love, then write about them so kids can enjoy them, too." She especially likes writing for 5-8 year olds.

"Sometimes I feel like I have a 7-year old stuck inside me."

Natasha lives in Northern California with her husband, Dan, Siberian husky, Sabaka, and calico cat, Jemima.

Natasha Wing talks with students at Lincoln Elementary School in Eureka during the 2003 Humboldt County Children's Author Festival.

Natasha Wing was born in Milford, Connecticut in 1960. At the age of 20 she moved to Arizona where she finished college at Arizona State University in 1982 with a B.S. in Advertising. In 1988 she married Daniel Wing and moved to Northern California where she worked in advertising for a number of years. It wasn't until 1991 that she decided to write children's books. Luckily she sold her first book, Hippity Hop, Frog on Top, within 6 months and has been writing children's books and articles ever since. Her second book, Jalapeño Bagels, came out in June 1996 with Atheneum Books. A fan of baked goods, Wing also self published a book for adults called A Slice of Humboldt Pie, with stories and recipes.

Birthday: February 7th

Professional: Member of Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators

Favorite Children's Books: Polar Express, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Cat in the Hat, The Golden Compass

Favorite Season: Fall

Favorite Tree: Maple

Favorite Color: Cranberry red

Favorite Cookie: Oatmeal Raisin with Vanilla Chips

Jalapeño Bagels is based on a real California bakery. Behind the Redwood Curtain, in the college town of Arcata, is a multi-cultural bakery called Los Bagels. It is here where they serve jalapeño bagels with such toppings as hummus or cream cheese with jalapeño jelly. You can get a "slug" with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate or a pumpkin turnover with roasted oak coffee. It is here, too, that the idea for the children's book Jalapeño Bagels was first conceived. When the owners of the bakery published a cook book, Los Bagels Recipes & Lore, Natasha Wing helped assemble it. In the book's introduction, one of the partners, Dennis Rael, wrote about how he was raised in a Jewish-Latino household, and how it influenced the bakery. The vision of Dennis as a child and Natasha's love for bagels became the story about how a boy of Jewish-Latino heritage chooses what to bring to school for International Day from his parents' bakery.

In 1999, The Night Before Easter was published by Grosset & Dunlap Reading Railroad Books. Ms. Wing's editor was so pleased by the response, that she asked her to make it a series. So far, The Night Before Halloween, The Night Before Thanksgiving, The Night Before Valentine's Day, The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, The Night Before Kindergarten, The Night Before First Grade, The Night Before the New Baby, The Night Before Summer Vacation, and The Night Before the Tooth Fairy have been published. The series has sold more than 1 million copies and has been on bestseller lists. The Night Before the 100th Day of School will be out in December.

Natasha's most current book is Merry Thanksgiving, released in August 2005.