In Your Next Beach Read, we want to introduce you to a new author every day in June in the hopes that you’ll find the next book you want to take with you to the beach, the pool, or the comforts of air conditioning.

Today’s author is Ellen Greenfield, author of White Roses.

What’s your name and where are you from?

Ellen Greenfield – born and raised in Brooklyn

How long have you been writing? How did you start?

I started writing almost as soon as I could put letters and words together. I can actually recite for you (but you’ll be grateful that I won’t) the poem I wrote, called “A Dreamer’s World” that won my sixth-grade literary contest. First prize: A book on creating origami, complete with beautifully printed papers. I can still fold a mean crane!

Who are some of your influences?

I would say one…