Fun Facts Friday: Maud Hart Lovelace

Maud Hart Lovelace (26 April, 1892 – 11 March, 1980) was an American author mostly noted for her Betsy – Tacy books. The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award is presented in two categories, : grades 3–5 and grades 6–8. Children who have read at least three books in the relevant category cast a vote for their favorite.

Some believe that Maud’s birthday was 25 April, and that what she believed until she was 50. However, she later discovered her birthday was actually 26 April.

All fun facts were extracted from http://www.betsy-tacysociety.org

Books by Maud Hart Lovelace

1. Maud, an avid reader, started writing stories as soon as she could hold a pencil.
2. Maud had to drop out of the University of Minnesota for health reasons. She went to California to recover and in the process sold her first story. The story was called Number Eight and Maud was paid $10 for it.
3. After she finished the university, Maud went to Europe by herself (1914) to gather material.
4. Maud incorporated the letters she wrote home in her books (written by Betsy).
5. In early 1917 Maud got a job at the Wakefield Publicity Bureau to fill a position which Delos Lovelace left for First Officers Training Camp. Maud though the name was great and was later invited by Mrs. Wakefield to dinner with Delos.
6. Maud and Delos were married Thanksgiving Day, 1917.
7. After World War I, in which Delos served, the Lovelaces moved to New York. Delos got a job in the Daily News while Maud researched her book The Black Angels.
8. Maud and Delos bought their first house without going inside.
9. The Betsy-Tacy series was inspired by the bedtime stories Maud told her daughter Merian about her childhood.
10. Maud was committed to historical accuracy in her novels.

Books by Maud Hart Lovelace

Zohar – Man of la Book