Steph Katzovi is The Author of The Week
Bio: Steph Katzovi is originally from Poughkeepsie, New York. She is a graduate of Binghamton University and Brooklyn Law School. She spent her career in consulting at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte LLP before becoming a part-time author and full-time mom.
HurriCamp!
Looking back on your childhood, do you remember what your dream job would be when you became an adult? For children’s author, Steph Katzovi, she knew at age eight-and-a-half exactly what she wanted to be…and after several twists and turns, she eventually got there.
Steph always knew that her occupation would have to involve writing. Despite her training as an attorney, Steph never wanted to practice law. Following a career as a speechwriter and corporate communications specialist at Deloitte, Steph decided to make the switch to creative writing when the executive she worked for announced his retirement.
“At the time, my second son had just been born,” Steph said. “I realized that there would never be a better time to focus on raising my children and pursuing my childhood dream of being an author. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to answer when that opportunity knocked.”
When asked what inspires her to write, Steph said, “Sharing stories is such a powerful tool for developing compassion, awareness, and insights into the world of others. I hope my words elicit an emotional experience where people see themselves in the characters that I’ve created. The ultimate goal of my writing is to create connections with others, promoting positivity and inspiring readers to appreciate their own unique strengths.”
Her debut novel, HurriCamp!, follows ten-and-three-quarter year old Noodle Newman’s topsy turvy experiences her first time at sleepaway camp. The story comically explores the challenges of Noodle becoming more independent, the complicated relationships of pre-teens, and Noodle’s road to discovering her inner courage—all in the middle of a hurricane.
Steph jokingly noted that “Noodle is definitely a better version of me as a child…and perhaps as an adult!” She added, “In my earlier drafts of HurriCamp!, I struggled with how to present Noodle as a character. At some point, I realized that I just had to relax and be OK with her vulnerabilities. The fact that Noodle is flawed makes her more genuine, which I hope is what makes her so relatable to readers. Plus, she gets some of the funniest lines in the book.”
HurriCamp! is a modern story with the timeless feel of the classic books we loved as children. Readers of all ages will enjoy losing themselves in this engaging story, identifying with Noodle’s vulnerabilities and the humorous lessons she learns along the way.
Bio: Steph Katzovi is originally from Poughkeepsie, New York. She is a graduate of Binghamton University and Brooklyn Law School. She spent her career in consulting at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte LLP before becoming a part-time author and full-time mom.
Find more about Steph Katzovi at: https://stephkatzovi.com, Instagram: @StephKatzovi , Facebook:@StephKatzoviLit