Not long ago, a boy named Jaylen wrote to me for an Eagle Scout project. “Can you tell me some exciting things about yourself?”  Of course! I happily told him all kinds of exciting things—that I grew up with two amazing parents, that I have a brother whom I love; that my husband and I have four grown-up kids; that we still live in the town where I grew up; and that I love to cook, sew, and spend time with my family and friends.

He wrote back (politely) and asked, “Mrs. Tarshis, is there anything more exciting you can share?”

So here’s what I shared with Jaylen: the most exciting facts about myself that I could think of.

My dad was a writer when I was growing up. It wasn’t a great way to make money, but he loved it. He wrote mostly articles about sports and travel, along with how-to books.

In sixth grade, a boy named Harvey threw a dead snake at me, and it landed around my neck. It gave me a terrible fear of snakes that I didn’t get over until I was about 35. (That might be why there are snakes in many of my I Survived books.)

In 1989, my husband and I were in the earthquake that struck Southern California. We did everything wrong, fleeing down a stairwell and standing in front of a big building, where we could have been crushed by falling debris.

I have visited every place I’ve written about in my 26 I Survived books (except the bottom of the North Atlantic to see the wreckage of the Titanic). I have loved everywhere I’ve visited, especially meeting the people who’ve shared their stories and knowledge with me.

I have visited schools in every state (except Hawaii!).

I am writing a new series called True Survivors. The first book comes out in spring 2027.

Read our FAQ’s for more fun facts about me and questions I’ve answered other students, parents and teachers!