BETTER, Cathy Drinkwater 1952-

PERSONAL: Born January 4, 1952, in Tuckahoe, NY; daughter of Jon (a writer, director, and producer) and Aileen (a homemaker; maiden name, Steinbrenner) Fogel; children: Joshua I., Zebadiah J., Heather Anne. Education: Towson University; Essex Community College, A.A., 1972. Hobbies and other interests: Poetry, martial arts, movies.

ADDRESSES: Home—613 Okemo Drive, Eldersburg, MD 21784. Offıce—613 Okemo Dr., Eldersburg, MD 21784. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Freelance writer, journalist, and editor, 1984—. Maryland Classified Employees Association, Baltimore, writer and communications specialist, 1994-97; Cadmus Professional Communications, Linthicum, MD, journal production editor, 2000-01; Ottenheimer Publishers, Inc., Owings Mills, MD, editor/editorial director. Martial arts instructor in t'ai chi and karate; adult education instructor in creative writing, self-defense, and martial arts. Volunteer speaker and guest instructor.

MEMBER: Haiku Society of America, Tanka Society of America, Towpath (regional poetry society).

AWARDS, HONORS: Editorial awards, 1988-91, Maryland/DC/Delaware Press Association, for newspaper humor column; journalism awards, Catholic Press Association, 1992, for poetry; editorial awards, LCNI, Inc., 1992, for column-writing; Excellence in Journalism award, Society of Professional Journalists (Maryland chapter), 1995, for column-writing.

WRITINGS:

Don't Hit Your Brother with Your Mouth Full (humor), Acme Press (Westminster, MD), 1994.

The Moon Tonight (poetry), Los Hombres Press, 1996.

Test Your Bible I.Q.: One Thousand Bible Questions and Answers, Testament Books, (New York, NY), 1999.

The Sky Is All There Is (poetry), Astute Platypus Press (Glyndon, MD), 1999.

The Cuddle Beasties in and out Opposites Book, illustrated by Rachel Phillips and Rebecca Wallis, Ottenheimer (Owings Mills, MD), 1999.

The Cuddle Beasties over and under Opposites Book, illustrated by Rachel Phillips and Rebecca Wallis, Ottenheimer (Owings Mills, MD), 1999.

The Cuddle Beasties up and down Opposites Book, illustrated by Rachel Phillips and Rebecca Wallis, Ottenheimer (Owings Mills, MD), 1999.

The Cuddle Beasties Big and Small Opposites Book, illustrated by Rachel Phillips and Rebecca Wallis, Ottenheimer (Owings Mills, MD), 1999.

My B-I-B-L-E (for children), Concordia House, 2000.

In His Footsteps (for children), Concordia House, 2000.

Excuse Me!: A Book All about Manners (for children), illustrated by Nancy Johnston, Broadman & Holman (Nashville, TN), 2001.

Author of board books and activity books. Contributor to anthologies, including Haiku Society of America Members Anthology, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1999; An Anthology of English-Language Tanka, AHA Books, 1994; Haiku World, Kodansha, 1996; Red Moon Anthology of English-Language Haiku, Red Moon Press, 1999; and American Haibun and Haiga, Volume. 1, Red Moon Press, 2000. Contributor to You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?: A Self-Help Book for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo, Scribner, 1993. Contributor of humor column, Carroll Families Magazine (MD),and syndicated, 1998—. Contributor to newspapers, including Mt. Airy Gazette; contributor of poems and articles to literary journals and magazines in the United States, Canada, and England.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Various children's projects, humor columns, and poetry.

SIDELIGHTS: Cathy Drinkwater Better told CA: "I enjoy the process of writing as well as discussing that process in all its various aspects with other writers. In addition, I enjoy sharing the pure freeing joy of writing with students, whether children or adults, and helping and/or mentoring them to achieve publication themselves. I find inspiration in nature—both human and otherwise—when writing poetry. I find that a good inspiration for humor is often tragedy, on almost any scale. The reason humor works is that the reader recognizes the pain inherent in the 'joke,' and is able to release a little of that pain with a laugh. Pain shared is pain lessened. Basically, write because I am compelled to do so by a deep-seated desire/need to communicate, and it's all I know how to do. And besides, writing is the ultimate revenge—especially in large print-runs—of someone perpetually told to shut up and go away."