Tracy Abell isn’t as creeped-out by the idea of sleeping in a bed where someone was murdered as she is of hiding out in a museum where the eyes in the paintings follow her.  Um, that’s a lie.  But it is true that when Tracy isn’t trail running or hooping, she’s writing contemporary middle-grade fiction.  For more non-lies, go to Tracy’s blog where you can also find museum-quality photos of birds that visit her backyard.

Bonnie Adamson enjoyed an elegant lunch with her daughter recently at the Metropolitan Museum (near the galleries of the Italian Renaissance) where they had a great time pretending to be society matrons planning their next charity event. Most often, Bonnie is at home in South Carolina, pretending to be a middle-grade writer and picture book illustrator. You can pretend along with her at www.bonnieadamson.net, or on Twitter during #kidlitchat Tuesday nights or #kidlitart on Thursdays.

Jen K Blom was actually locked in her school – but she lived to tell the tale! She lives in Berlin, Germany with her darling new daughter, fantastic husband and two neurotic hairless cats! Jen writes middle grade with plucky characters and animals galore. Her debut title, POSSUM SUMMER, is forthcoming Spring 2011 from Holiday House.  Feel free to drop by www.jenkblom.com, her blog at jaekaebee.blogspot.com, or her twitter at twitter.com/jaekaebee to get the latest and greatest on her haphazard life!

Amie Borst could never fit enough chocolate in one violin case to last her a whole week, let alone one day.  When she’s not eating chocolate, she’s busy writing with her three daughters.  She lives in northern Virginia soaking up the sun and walking through cemeteries plotting her next idea.  To learn more about Amie, visit her website, http://amie-borst.com.

Hélène Boudreau’s books include ACADIAN STAR (middle grade), KEEP OUT! (early chapter book), and her upcoming upper middle grade book, REAL MERMAIDS DON’T WEAR TOE RINGS as well as 5 non-fiction books about science and social studies. She is a compulsive walker, a chicklet wrangler and a lover of cheese and cheap chocolate and, like Jamie, would definitely eat a Hershey’s almond bar if it were still in its wrapper, lying on the floor.  For more, visit www.heleneboudreau.com.

Tami Lewis Brown lived on the top floor of a museum for two years and only set off the burglar alarm once. Her picture book biography for middle graders, Soar, Elinor! will be published in October 2010, followed by a middle-grade novel, One Shiny Silver Key in Spring 2011. She lives with her family, two cats, and a dog in one of the oldest houses in Washington, D.C. Visit her at www.TamiLewisBrown.com.

Sheela Chari uses her violin case to store her violin, but she does dream of sleeping in a tall canopy bed with draping some day. She lives 30 minutes from New York City with her husband and two daughters, where they talk frequently about visiting the Met, but end up reading a book instead. Sheela’s middle-grade novel, VANISHED, will be published by Disney-Hyperion, July 2011. Visit her at www.sheelachari.com.

Rose Cooper refuses to grow up! In fact, writing for children gives her that perfect excuse (just don’t’ tell that to her husband and three sons). But every once in awhile, if you watch carefully and wait very patiently, you’ll see her tiptoeing into the grownup world.  And when you do, you’ll see that she’s the author and illustrator of an upcoming humor middle-grade series, GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS’ ROOM, A Blogtastic! Novel (2011) and, RUMORS FROM THE BOYS ROOM (2012).  View her artwork and learn all her super secrets (well, not anymore) at www.Rose-Cooper.com.

Elissa Cruz has her own unique filing system at home.  When she’s not busy rummaging through her piles of paperwork, she’s writing middle-grade books for boys.  She lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, three sons, five dress-up princess gowns, seven toy lightsabers, thirteen bicycles, and more books than she cares to count.  You can learn more about her crazy, mixed-up writing life at www.elissacruz.blogspot.com.

Jan Gangsei has never felt compelled to run away as she’s had the great fortune to live in some pretty awesome places — Vermont, Key West, NYC, DC and soon, Barbados. Plus, she’d miss her family too much. But when Jan does need an escape, she retreats to the corner of her brain that harbors her inner 11-year-old and writes stories for kids. She thinks her amazing literary agent, Sarah Davies of the Greenhouse, is the most dedicated, hardworking person on the planet. Jan’s travel agent comes in a close second.

Jennifer Duddy Gill loves to make up stories for children and if you ask her why, she may not try to explain because, as Mrs. Frankweiler says, the modern world has too many words and explanations for everything already. Jennifer has lived and worked all over the world and currently writes books in Denver, Colorado, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Visit her blog at: www.jennifer-d-g.livejournal.com.

Danette Haworth never did get around to running away or sleeping over at a big, important museum. Even so, she’s had some pretty good adventures, like exploring mountains, building forts, and whitewater rafting. You can usually find Danette at her computer typing out stories, or outside with her camera looking for alligators. Her books for middle-grade readers include Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets, and Me and Jack (Walker, 2011). Find out more about Danette and her books at www.danettehaworth.com.

Joanne Prushing Johnson thinks it is true that the search is more profitable than the goal. That’s because while she’s searching for matching soccer socks, her cell phone or a moment’s privacy, she often finds a jersey, her keys or a great idea. Joanne writes funny, boy-friendly books with a twist. She also an occupational therapist and lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband, four boys and an oversized golden retriever. To learn more about Joanne, check out http://joanneprushingjohnson.com.

Mike Jung believes that flattery is as important a machine as the lever, but don’t worry, he really means all those nice things he said to YOU. Mike plays a semi-competent ukulele, owns a dusty road bike, and has thrice rescued his rubber tree plant from marauding parasitic organisms. He also writes middle-grade books in the realms of spandex fantasy, monster movie homage, and spazzoleum lit. Find out how bizarre he really is at http://captainstupendous.wordpress.com.

As the father of 4 daughters, Brian Kell hides out in the bathroom weeping most of the time.  He writes humorous YA and MG books. He’s still trying to break through the plastic-wrap ceiling and get one of his books on the shelves. Find out everything you didn’t want to know and less at http://brian-ohio.livejournal.com.

Kimberley Griffiths Little’s best ideas come when taking long hot baths, but instead of a sunken black marble tub with gold faucets and a dragon-shaped spigot, she has New Mexico hand-painted tiles in her adobe home along the Rio Grande.  Kimberley has two upcoming middle-grade novels with Scholastic Press: THE HEALING SPELL (2010) and CIRCLE OF SECRETS (2011).  Please visit www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com to download the free guides for teachers and book clubs.

Wendy Martin is the author and artist of several books including the illustrated chapter book, “An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child.”  She hopes her paintings will one day be discovered in the collection of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler who will sell them to a museum for more than a few hundred dollars.  Wendy currently resides with her husband and daughter in eastern Missouri when she isn’t on the road giving workshops at festivals or visiting schools. She claims the dubious title of Perpetual Project Lady and does her best to keep the house clean and the cats fed.  Wendy M’s website

Beverly Patt has written two middle-grade books (HAVEN and BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: A WWII SCRAPBOOK) from underneath her bed. It is very dusty down there but in no danger of being cleaned any time soon.  When not writing or laundering dusty clothes, she can be found playing tennis, making soup or enjoying the company of her hubby and four kids (none of whom have run away, yet).

Bobbie Pyron never wanted to run away to a museum, but she did want to become a mermaid. Or a frog. Her teen debut novel, The Ring, was published in fall of 2009. Her next book, A Dog’s Way Home, for grades four and up, will be published by HarpterCollins in March of 2011. When she’s not writing or working at the library, she can be found hiking, running and skiing the trails in northern Utah with her husband and three dogs. Visit her at www.bobbiepyron.com.

Sydney Salter loves running away from home and writing about her adventures. Her novels include My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters, Jungle Crossing, and Swoon At Your Own Risk. She lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, two dogs, and a pair of quiet tortoises.

Kurtis Scaletta is the author of MUDVILLE and MAMBA POINT, both published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. His third novel, WAKE, ME, will come out in 2011. It features two youngsters hiding out in a museum and some long lost art work. He only realized the coincidence later.

Laurie Schneider ran away to the carnival when she was ten…but came home after an hour. She wrangles books, cats, and kids in North Idaho. For more, visit www.lauriebethschneider.com.

Wendy Shang makes penny wishes AND quarter wishes.  One of her wishes came true when she found out that her book, The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, was going to be published by Scholastic.  She lives near Washington, D.C. with her family and is frequently preoccupied by thoughts of gummi bears (the good ones).  To learn more, visit www.wendyshang.com.

Though she has never (successfully) run away from home, Laurel Snyder has been thrown out of her share of public fountains.  She is the author of three middle-grade novels, “Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains,” “Any Which Wall,” and “Penny Dreadful,” among other things.  She lives in Atlanta, and online at http://laurelsnyder.com.

If Tricia Springstubb could get locked in somewhere overnight, it would be the zoo!  She’d love to see what the animals do after all the humans go home. Meanwhile, she lives and writes in a plain old house in Cleveland, which she shares with her husband and three cats (who sleep at night, and much of the day).  Her middle grade novel, WHAT HAPPENED ON FOX STREET, will be published by HarperCollins in August, 2010.

Mindy Alyse Weiss spends so much time writing quirky stories, she usually has a laundry mountain large enough to fill a hundred violin cases.  She lives in Florida, and is constantly inspired by her husband, daughters, Bullmasador puppy, and two stinky but loveable ferrets.  You can find out more about her at http://MindyAlyseWeiss.com.