Beachy Countdown

Hope Taylor Spencer is the proud daughter of a military family. She has lived in 11 states and Puerto Rico!As she moved around, Hope learned that she could fi nd great friends in books. She spent many happy daysreading about the world and dreamed of someday writing her own book for children.As an elementary teacher, Hope shared her love of books with her students. Her happiest moments inthe classroom were the ones spent reading aloud, especially when she read the stories she loved as a child.Her greatest joy was to see one of her students reading and rereading a book independently. As joyful andsatisfying as teaching was for Hope, she longed to write a story of her own. A book that children would wantto explore over and over.Another constant in Hope's life was the beach. She visited beaches on the shores of Lake Huron inMichigan and on the coasts of California, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. But her favorite beaches were theones her grandparents took her to visit every summer in North Carolina. Hope was fascinated by the water,the sand, the seashells, the culture, and the sea life. She knew she would write a story about the beach oneday.Today Hope lives in a small town near the coast of North Carolina just like the one her grandparents livedin so many years ago. She lives with her husband, Brent, and their two small dogs, Joey and Sandy. Hopeloves reading, gardening, spending time with family, and, of course, visiting the beach.