"I
think writing my book changed my life," said Sydney Kramer. Like any
accomplished author, she identifies with her characters, spends time
considering the next big plot for the latest novel, and she makes
speaking engagements at schools and book readings.
But Kramer isn't your typical author. Kramer is
your typical 15-year freshman at Downtown East High School, and yeah,
her friends think it's pretty cool she's published wildly popular
children's books, "Cookie Dalmatian."
Storiedsuccess.com caught up with the young author
one afternoon after school to discuss her books and her plans after
graduating in the class of 2012, when she'll be an alumnus.
Although she's never taken a writing 101 course,
made it through a grueling upper level English class or even sweated
through the SAT exam, Kramer is a successful author.
She has published four books in the "Cookie
Dalmatian" series about a dog who solves mysteries. "I came up with the
idea when I was 10, so the first book is about a case of missing prom
dresses," Kramer said. She and her father, Marc Kramer, also a writer,
worked on the book together and got it successfully published in 2004.
It became a hit among young readers that holiday season.
"The first book I published did a lot better than I
ever thought it would," she said. As she got older, Kramer said she has
made the mysteries more complicated. Book two features Cookie the
Dalmatian finding a missing diary, the third book he's on an adventure
to find lost treasure, and the fourth will take place in the Middle
East.
Kramer said she would like to publish more books to
make a complete popular series such as "Harry Potter," "The Hardy Boys,"
or "Nancy Drew."
She doesn't currently have plans to write books on
any other topic, although she said she might. Kramer seems to think of
publishing a book as any other goal, completely attainable when you put
your mind to it. It's as though it hasn't crossed this 15-year-old's
mind that most people never achieve what she has in their entire adult
lives. She's got her own website, a few books under her belt, a career
ahead of her and years to get there. She told Storiedsuccess.com she's
just enjoying the first few days of high school and enjoying finally
being 15, since she had a birthday a few days ago.
She looks at her books as a cool way to save money
for school. She would also like to start babysitting soon to raise extra
cash for shopping. Kramer's parents have invested much of the profits
from her books into savings for college, but she is allowed to piddle
some of it on CDs, make-up, the usual "teen stuff" as she puts it. She
loves her new Juicy Couture sweatsuit, but she's not sure if it's Barbie
pink or blossom pink. Generally she prefers seafoam green or shy blue,
she said. It's those details and her eye for exactness that make Kramer
a readable author. Her vivid verbiage, and need for self-expression is
refreshing.
Despite her accomplished career, Kramer told
Storiedsuccess.com that she doesn't want to major in writing when she
gets to college, nor does she plan to be an author when she gets out of
school. She wants to use her creativity in other ways.
"I've always dreamed of being an actress," she
says. She doesn't have a role model actor, but she loves musical
theater, especially movies "The Sound of Music" and Oklahoma. Kramer has
done a little acting in community theater and she played a role in the
musical "Cinderella," last year's school play. This year she plans to
audition for the musical again. Like her books, she plans to land the
leading lady spot, even if it takes years and plenty of practice. "So
far, I've just gotten extra stuff, but I'll make it," she said.
In the opinion of myalmuniwebsite.com, she will, or
she'll do anything she sets her mind to using her mantra, "the harder
you work, the sooner you'll be there."
For more information on Kramer's books, go to
www.cookiedalmation.com.
Cookie
Dalmatian Mysteries
15-Year-Old Mystery Writer Honored by
Pennsylvania
Senate
(State Senator Andrew Diniman
presents Pennsylvania Senate Citation)
Sydney Kramer,
a ninth grader in the Downingtown Area School District,
was recently honored by the Pennsylvania State Senate
for her Cookie Dalmatian Mystery Book Series. The books
are targeted for 5 to 10 year olds and are in black and
white so children can color in the characters. They are
ideal holiday gifts and Sydney gives away 10% of the
sale price to a children's charity. To order please go
to:
www.cookiedalmatian.com