“So many books … so little time!” is what I thought as a child whenever I entered the library, and it is still what I say upon entering any library or bookstore. I recall leisurely strolling and trolling the aisles of books in search of books that wove such colorful and believable tales, that I had to savor every sentence. Worlds of mystery, history, suspense, animals, castles, adventure, friendship, and the downright silliest stories were waiting for me to take them home, open them up and fill my imagination. Writing and illustrating literally drew me into its corner. Perhaps as a direct result, I see stories in everything, and everyone. Perhaps also as a direct result, my interests remain varied, and my experiences have been adventurous; geology museum tour guide, radio host, modeling, soap opera television, editorial cartoonist, secretary, and photographer:
Now, I get to share my stories with you. Ups and Downs and The Pack Rats are full of surprises - look carefully. And remember, life is full of stories, including your own, so keep your eyes and ears open!
I shall always be grateful to my parents for their many sacrifices to give me and my sisters a good education, one that emphasized self-discipline, reading, learning, achieving, and creating. My parents and teachers instilled in us a shared respect and love for this world and its animals."
-- Diane
Writer, Illustrator, Photographer
Diane K. Potter
I am in the far left row, the second seat from the front – the boy in overalls!
I was raised on a large farm in the Midwest with fields of grain and hay, pastures, woods and lots of animals – all kinds of animals. Early in my life I learned to love and respect them. Animals will never let you down, they just do what they do. One of my fondest memories involves a little bull calf I raised named Caesar. But that’s a story for another time.
After high school I attended one of the Big Ten Universities where I majored in Physics and Math. That became the starting point for my career as a scientist. As with any career – or friendship – proper communication is very important, otherwise, information can be simply lost or misunderstood – and that can cause a lot of trouble!
When I saw one of Diane’s animal sketches, I was inspired to think up a story for these animals with an adventure of miscommunication. Ups and Downs is that story. Diane’s talent for writing and illustrating gives whimsical personalities to each character and we shared a lot of laughs working on this story. Look carefully – there are some clever details and surprises along the way. I am grateful for her attention to detail that has given an endearing visual life to my little story.
-- Michael
-- Michael
Site content Copyright by Diane K. Potter
Michael D. Potter
