“Once, I was out of the house 93 days in a year. I was missing grandparents' days at schools and kids' birthdays and Valentine's Day, not to mention the fact that when you're on the road, you can't get anything done. I had to learn to say 'No,' cut back on travel.”

American writer of children's novels

Jerry Spinelli is an American writer of children's novels. He is known for fiction about adolescence and early adulthood, and for books such as Maniac Magee, Stargirl, and Wringer. His work often focuses on young people moving through difficult or defining stages of life. Spinelli's novels are widely read in children's literature, especially for their attention to growing up, identity, and the pressures that shape those years.