Fisscher, Catharina G. M. 1958- (Tiny Fisscher)

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FISSCHER, Catharina G. M. 1958- (Tiny Fisscher)

PERSONAL: Born June 11, 1958, in Castricum, Netherlands; daughter of Harry (a teacher) and Truus Buurman (a homemaker) Fisscher; married Alex Mous (an actor), March 21, 1985; children: Dorith. Education: Pedagogische Academie, 1976, received primary school teaching degree; STIVAS A & B, 1981, certificate for beauty and skin-care specialist; attended International School for Aromatherapy, 1993.

ADDRESSES: Offıce—c/o Kane/Miller Book Publishers, P.O. Box 8518, La Jolla, CA 92038-8515.

CAREER: Writer and primary school teacher. Has worked as a tour leader, hostess, secretary, teacher in a beauty school, and as a aerobics and Pilates instructor; former owner of skin care and aromatherapy shop.

WRITINGS:

Kristalkinderen (novel; title means "Crystal Children"), illustrated by Wilbert van der Steen, Akasha (Eeserveen, Netherlands), 2002.

as tiny fisscher

En dan was ik de prinses, illustrated by Barbara de Wolf, Van Goor (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 1999, translation published as The Four Princesses, Kane/Miller (La Jolla, CA), 2001.

Floep! (picture book), illustrated by Wilbert van der Steen, Van Goor (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2000.

En dan was ik de ridder (picture book; title means "If I Were a Knight"), illustrated by Wilbert van der Steen, Van Goor (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2002.

Loek, de blindengeleidehond (novel; title means "Luke, the Guide Dog"), illustrated by Wilbert van der Steen, Van Goor (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2002.

SIDELIGHTS: Catharina G. M. Fisscher, who writes under the pseudonym Tiny Fisscher, told CA: "From early childhood on, I wanted to be a writer. It took a long time before I actually started writing.

"First I studied to be a teacher, but at that time I was still very young and I didn't want to work with children yet. I did my education to become a beautician and in the years after attended numerous courses and training in aromatherapy, massage, alternative medicine, etc. Also, I had several jobs in between all of this. I worked in Switzerland and Corsica as a salesperson and a hostess, and toured across Europe as a tour leader.

"After all that, I ended up in a school, teaching girls to be beauticians. I got married, had a child (now seventeen), and started my own practice. At that time, I started to write poems and short stories for children. It took a couple of years before I sent them to publishers. In 1997, [an editor] from Van Goor saw my talent and asked me to write the princess book. That's how everything began.

"Four years ago, I sold my practice and had to stop [teaching] at school because of burnout. Two years ago, I started a new career as an aerobics and Pilates teacher, and this year I finally [began] my profession as a teacher in primary school.

"I probably could not write without having these other professions. In order to write, I have to meet people, both adults and children, and hear their stories. Inspiration for my stories/books always comes unexpectedly, while walking my dog, or during the night, waking up suddenly with an idea. Sometimes I don't write for months, other times I am sitting behind my computer every free moment I've got (at those times it would be great not having these extra jobs). I hope to be able to write books for the rest of my life and that people all over the world will enjoy them!"