A bit about Elly

Elly’s childhood was a happy one with many laughs, family dinners, and crooked birthday cakes.

Elly Swartz loves writing for kids, Twizzlers, and anything with her family. She grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania, studied psychology at Boston University, and received a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Elly is the author of four contemporary middle grade novels. Her debut novel, FINDING PERFECT (FSG 2016) is about 12-year-old Molly, OCD, and a slam poetry competition that will determine everything. In her second book, SMART COOKIE (Scholastic, 2018), you meet the spunky and big-hearted Frankie who is all about family with a dash of mischief and mystery! Then in October, 2019, we said hello to Maggie in GIVE AND TAKE (FSG). With the help of a foster baby named Izzie, Maggie learns that sometimes love means letting go. And in the spring of 2022, we’ll get to know Autumn in DEAR STUDENT (Delacorte/Penguin Random House). Autumn is a girl with social anxiety and a pet guinea pig named Cheetos, who becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper.

A bit more about Elly

Elly grew up in Yardley, a small town in Pennsylvania. At the time, there were many cornfields and cows. Boredom was a popular sport. She lived in a red, brick house on Queens Drive with my mom, dad, two older brothers who picked on her regularly as a kid (less so as a grown-up) and dogs (first Missy and later Sam). Her childhood was a happy one with many laughs, family dinners and crooked birthday cakes.

She loves writing for children, but didn’t take a direct path to that career. She weaved and bobbed through many unique opportunities on her way to becoming a writer. She studied psychology at Boston University and got her JD at Georgetown University School of Law. She was a ride operator at Sesame Place, spent time working in a furniture store, was a messenger, law library assistant, legal author, litigator, legal research and writing professor and college essay adviser.

 

 

 

Photo by Greg Swartz 

Bazooka Joe

Not long after she began writing, she got the first sign that, indeed, this was the right path for her. She opened a piece of Bazooka Joe gum and wrapped around the sugary, pink delight was a fortune that read, “You have the ability to become outstanding in literature.”

She keeps this fortune tacked to the bulletin board next to her desk.

In her office are also her writing companions, a beagle named Lucy and a new puppy named Baxter Bean. Her family also includes her awesome husband and two amazing grown sons. Over the years, other family members included: a pygmy hedgehog, gerbils, hamster, fish and a few other dogs.

baxter in the flower pot copy

You can connect with Elly on her site at ellyswartz.com, on Twitter @ellyswartz, on Instagram @ellyswartzbooks or on her webseries #BooksintheKitchen with author Victoria J. Coe.

The Pets in Elly’s Life

Lucy - our 5 year old beagle

Lucy - 5 year old beagle

Kodi - grandpuppy

Charlie Dude - my grandkitten

Charlie Dude - grandkitten

guinea pig

Ajax - grandguinea pig

Baxter Bean - My new puppy

Baxter Bean - new puppy

Some other fun tidbits about Elly...

She has an affinity for words and phrases that make her sound a bit like her gram (or so she’s been told). A few of her favorites – pickle (as in, she’s in a pickle), hullaballoo, and cockeyed.

She loves a good book, crossword puzzles, the color green, the seasons (fall in particular), and a great pair of boots.

In February 2017, She was honored to be selected by School Library Connection as Author of the Month.

 

 

 

Photo by Greg Swartz 

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Hidden Truths

Coming 2023

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