Pat J Wheeler
Author of Winnie Acts Up,picture book about children's theater camp!
Pat J Wheeler is a retired educator, children's theater director, and gram who now writes children's books that engage readers in device-free fun: thought-provoking stories driven by robust vocabulary. A lifelong learner, writer and poet, she credits her transition to full-time children’s author to the Children’s Book Mastery author coaching program she joined in January 2022.
The idea for her debut picture book Winnie Acts Up was inspired by her youngest granddaughter saying, “I’m shy,” during the first day of summer theater camp. Winnie’s venture into acting shows her learning to face her fears and to value the support of friends.
When Pat is not writing her own books, she loves to share her writing process with classrooms where her former teacher education students now teach. She resides in Terre Haute, Indiana, with her husband and dog, Bella, who enjoys being the model for Winnie’s dog. Follow Pat’s journey with more stories about Winnie and Bella right here.
"The BEST teachers show you where to look but don't tell you what to SEE!"
– Alexandra Trenfor
Just Me
The first eighteen years of my life I lived in two places: Michigan for the first seven years, then South Dakota for the next eleven. No wonder one of my goals became travel. Since then I have visited Central and South America, a number of countries in Europe, Canada, and I have set foot in almost every state in the US, including several islands nearby. It’s hard to believe but sometimes I still feel like my teenage self ; I'll bet a lot of people feel that way.
Now, retired, my goal is to write good books and poetry for children. Being a children's author and poet is more of a full time job than I expected. I started with an author blog to detail that journey and ended up managing my own publishing process.
Être Poète
I’ve been a learner all my life,
I also love to read.
My brain is full of trivia
I cannot reach, indeed! (with speed)
I’m mother, auntie and a wife
And seven times a Gram
A thespian, a teacher, too
A trav’ling, cruising clam. (shazam!)
My loves are music, movies, books,
I yoga twice a week.
Our puppy Bella eases stress
With kisses on my cheek. (splash, eek!!)
I like to sew, crochet and knit.
Right now I’m making masks
To scare away the Covid bug
If anybody asks.
I cook old fam’ly recipes
My husband loves to eat.
Reunions used to happen here
But now we’re in retreat.
Today retired from ISU
Years there count thirty plus
Our students were the saving grace
From all the admin fuss.
While I’ve been writing all my life
It seems that just this year
I took the time to quarantine
and stash my writer's fear.
​
I’m here because I want to write
My fingers ache to spell
The words I find within my heart
At times they flow pell-mell.
I’ve taken workshops by the doz’
Collected hoards of books
But now it’s time to stay and write
To feel how writing looks.
