Katy Sloop Roberts paints pictures with her words. Her writing is rich with vivid descriptions and emotions, making readers around the world feel like they are truly experiencing Italy.
Children adore her unique characters, and they return to her books often to enjoy reading adventures with Luna and her magical black cat, Fortuna.
When Katy is not reading and writing, she likes to run, drink hot tea, and travel.
Get a list of Katy’s FAVORITE middle grade books plus sample reading journal pages that will excite your kids about reading and writing.
More about Katy:
Katy has lived in many U.S. States, Germany, and Italy thanks to life as a military spouse. She grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has a degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Katy has enjoyed writing since her grandparents gave her a lined journal at the age of seven. She began writing books while living in Italy because a house she thought looked like a man with a bushy mustache sparked her imagination. (see the photograph below)
Katy currently lives in Yorktown, Virginia with her husband who serves in the USAF, their two sons, and Lucky, the Italian superhero cat who is her muse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired you to start writing books?
I cannot tell you specifically because it is a bit of a spoiler, but I basically had one little spark of imagination because of a house on our street in Italy in 2019. I made a witty remark about the house to my son as we were walking to the bus stop one morning. I told him I thought it could make a cute story. Instead of letting the idea escape me, I sat down at my computer to “jot down some ideas,” but I ended up writing a rough draft of Mario and The Stones.
My real cat, Lucky, was the inspiration for Fortuna Finds a Family. You can read his story at the end of Fortuna Finds a Family. He has had a pretty amazing life.
The “Mario House”.
This is what sparked my imagination, beginning my adventures with Luna and Fortuna.
Are you the narrator in Mario and The Stones?
No, I am not. I prefer to be Luna.
Is Luna real?
Luna lives in my imagination, so she is real to me. I want to be like Luna when I grow up. She is wise, kind, patient, creative, hard-working, and honest. She tries to see the best in people, even grouchy people like Mario. The setting for the story is absolutely real! I wrote about the land, animals, plants, food, and culture of Aviano, Italy where I was privileged to live for two years.
My older son and I discovered this old olive grove on the mountain near our Italian house. It became Luna’s grove in my story.
Is it hard to write books?
I love to write! Writing and editing are fun to me. The hardest part is making sure everything is as close to perfect before publication as possible. I have learned a lot of new skills.
Do you miss Italy?
Yes! I mostly miss my friends who are still there, but I also miss the food, traveling to see new amazing places, hearing church bells from my balcony, and the charm of the tiny 300-year-old village where I lived. I love living in Virginia again and being close to family too.
Who is your illustrator?
My uncle, Dan Dye illustrated Mario and The Stones with pen sketches. He illustrated Fortuna Finds a Family with watercolor paintings. He is a multi-talented artist who mainly creates silver jewelry. I knew he could draw the perfect characters and landscapes to accompany my descriptions.
Do Dan’s drawings of Luna
look like you imagine her?
What can your readers expect next?
I hope to make this series a trilogy or longer. I love Luna and Fortuna! I have ideas for several more books, including a Christmas story. What adventures do you think Luna and Fortuna should have next?
Please share your ideas with me.