About Me
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My name is Diana Aleksandrova. I was born and raised in the historical capital of Bulgaria, a charming old town where houses sit perched on a hill above a river.
After graduating from college, I moved across the ocean to pursue the American dream. Little did I know that my dream did not reside in a particular country or even a continent but was all along within me. It took me a while to start doing what gives me joy; creating stories that make kids and grown-ups alike open their minds to the impossible, marvel, or laugh.
Books are our tickets to adventure. They let us explore fascinating places and join charming heroes, crooked villains, and magical creatures through unforgettable journeys. My job is to create the itinerary.
How I became a reader.
Like many kids, I struggled with reading. I was not particularly good at it, and I preferred playing outside with my friends (those were the times). My love for books started in a somehow unconventional way. I was a slow reader and very embarrassed to read aloud when my turn came in class. I dreaded reading. Then two weeks before I was to start second grade, I got sick. When My parents took me to the hospital, I was admitted for flu. But as luck should have it, that same night, an older and more experienced doctor came in, and upon taking a look at me, she knew it wasn't the flu. I was diagnosed with viral meningitis, and only the timely interference and proper treatment saved my life.
What does that have to do with reading, you would ask?
After two weeks in the hospital, the doctors sent me home with strict instructions: no sports for a year, limited TV time, and limited reading. What happens when you tell a kid not to do something?I was off from school for a while. I was not allowed to spend much time outside, or to watch TV for long. My form of rebelliun was reading. I had to do at least one of the things I was not allowed to do. As much as I dreaded it before when "I had to do it," now I began enjoying it - a lot.
And that’s how a reader was born.
What motivates me to write for children.
I have stories to tell. True, but... that is not the reason why I write.
I have been fascinated with good stories all my life. My happy place is anywhere with a good book. Reading gives me joy and molds me into the person I am. Creating this experience for others makes me HAPPY.
Receiving awards feels terrific! I can’t deny that it is motivational to receive a reward. An award-winning author sounds so accomplished and important. And yet, the highest praise is when a parent tells me: "Your book is my child's favorite! He asks me to read it every night, and I really don't mind because I love it too!"
Also, I believe that reading is beneficial for children and is a way to shape thinking and emotionally intelligent future generation.