The problem with Alyson is that she never grew up.  Lost in her childhood fantasy world, her parents feared she’d never get along in the real world. Lifelong classical dance and theater training created discipline, but didn’t fix her. She is ablaze with wild courage that impels her into places where anything is possible. There, she captures images that alight the imaginations of her readers. She doesn’t write what she knows, she writes from where she lives – from the edge where images are undisciplined and the lines between dimensions blur.

Alyson gets on in the real world with the help of improvisation. When she left her corporate job she started Wonderland Playhouse, an improvisational theater that gathered inspired children who collaborated original stories she mounted into full scale productions. Children are natural improvisers and Wonderland was a house afire. The tribe thrived on a steady diet of magical adventure. Using classical story stucture, players wrote compelling stories of adventure, activism, mystery, fun, friendship, teamwork, and courage. Not completely conventional, their stories consistently lacked villains and violence., and were fueled by love. Alyson writes for these smart, curious kids who love animals, their families, and the Earth, cannot tolerate unkindness, conflict, or the word “No”, and may be labeled.

Alyson’s genre-busting first middle-grade book, StarWalker and the Fairy Queen, is a suspenseful ride across inner Earth, surface Earth, and space landscapes to save the Fairy Queen. Gutsy magical characters find friends and hidden talents in unusual places. Each is tested and revealed a hero. StarWalker began as a childhood dream and was nurtured by love for a special rescued dog.

In her Fairies In Space blog, Alyson explores bold creativity in the many places it shows up: in writing, in wellness, in parenting, in nature, in education, in art, in dreaming, and mostly, in improv.

Contact Alyson at alysonbudde@gmail.com