From there to here has been a marvelous adventure
Meet the Author
Agnes Christine Ruymen
It was never a straight road. But every twist brought me a little closer to the stories I get to tell now. Here's how a girl with a big tin of broken crayons ended up writing and illustrating for children.
how it started
A language made of color
I came to America as a small girl, a refugee from Hungary, without a word of English and without the bedtime stories the other children knew by heart. So I reached for the one language everyone understands: pictures and color. I drew funny little characters to say what I did not have words for, and somewhere in all that crayon and paper, I found my happiest self.
a detour
"Art is a hobby, not a career"
That was my father's firm opinion, and back then you listened to your father. I had my heart set on becoming a commercial artist. Instead I earned a B.S. degree in dental hygiene and built a good, steady career I'm still proud of. The crayons went into a drawer. They never went far.
Spoiler: the crayons came back
a small partner in crime
Bedtime stories, and a co-author
Like a lot of parents and grandparents, I made up stories to coax little ones to sleep, first for my daughter, and later for my grandson. Oh boy, was he a handful at bedtime. He turned right into the main character of Bumps and Lumps in My Bed. Since he was five, he has been creating right alongside me, dreaming up how each character thinks and misbehaves. That shared make-believe grew into something rare and tender between us.
the logo
The Green Dog and the Imp
My grandson is the Imp. And his gloriously mischievous dog, Huckleberry—also known as Beans, is the spark behind my Green Dog and Imp logo. The two of them are all over these stories, and all over my heart.
and yes, there's a fun story about why the dog is green. more on that later.
the push
"Just do it already!"
One day my daughter and grandson ganged up on me with the best kind of tough love. "Just do it already," they said. "Submit the manuscripts and the illustrations. " Write the stories from your life and your heart. The funny, heartfelt ones you've always told us. We looked forward to each one." So here I am. Website and all. My very first story was Ziggy the Worm and The Thunderous Rumble. He has been wiggling his way into my books ever since, hiding somewhere in each book for young readers to discover.
where the heart is
Stories about being exactly who you are
when I'm not making up stories
A few of my favorite things
- Golf (don't ask my score)
- Gardening, gloves optional
- Travel, anywhere, anytime
- Beach mornings & a pocket of shells
- My Aussiedoodle, Raymond
- Archery with my grandson
- Attending concerts with Stan, country to opera
- Antiquing (patina is character)
- Designing beautiful tablescapes
on stage
Authored the play The Mysterious Tooth Fairy and guided its production, later performed by high school students for an audience of delighted kindergarteners.
still at it
Registered Dental Hygienist since 1974, and a proud member of the SCBWI.
why I write
The best stories come straight from real life, so mine are full of the people and pups I love.
Happy News
Stay Tuned
I've been invited to contribute to a book for middle school students by a well-known children's author. Nothing in print just yet, but I'll share the moment it is.
A gallery of other photos
