My name is Rondi Sokoloff Frieder (Rondi is my real name and is not short for anything) and I am a writer of children’s books, a teacher, and a musician. Some interesting things you may want to know about me are: I always remember my dreams and the names of everyone I meet, I have amazing coincidences happen to me all the time, and I love to talk, talk, talk. For most of my life, I have told stories, kept journals, written songs, and made scrapbooks. Currently, I spend most of my creative energy writing middle grade fiction, both contemporary and historical. I meet with my SCBWI Writing Group,“The Story Spinners,” once a month, contribute to our group blog: www.inthewritersweb.com, host a writing day every week at my house with my amazing NANO group, and attend writing conferences, webinars, and workshops whenever I can. Besides reading and writing as much as possible, I have found that focusing on the “4 P’s” is the key to becoming a great writer. Writers must: practice (keep at it), persevere (never give up), have lots of patience (getting published can take a very long time) and enjoy the process (all of the above) along the way .
A few more autobiographical tidbits: I grew up on Long Island (NY), went to Cornell University in gorges Ithaca, NY, attended the University of Michigan for graduate school, and landed my first teaching job in Brookline, MA. Although I loved Boston, the skier in me longed for higher mountains and deeper powder. With the gentle nudging of a childhood friend, I moved to Colorful Colorado and have never looked back. I live right outside of Denver and taught Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade for close to thirty years. I am married to active retiree, David Frieder and have two fascinating grown sons, Max and Noah. (Check out Max’s website at www.artolution.org) I also travel way more than I want to (I have been to all 50 states!), play the flute and guitar, sing all the time, am obsessed with pop music and seem to be a magnet for little kids. I have been gluten-free for twenty-three years (way before the craze), sing in a choir, and walk at least three miles a day. Oh, and I see words…lots of words. I must be wired to be a writer!
Hi Rondi-
You wouldn’t happen to have grown up in Port Washington, NY, would you? With a brother name Jonathan?
-Jim Cook
formerly: 8 Boat Lane, Port Washington, NY
HI Rondi,
I have been in touch with your hubby David, about a BBYO reunion and just visited your site. You are so talented!! As a retired Drama Teacher, with BA in English , I am always impressed with writers,performers and playwrights. My Jewish/yiddish name is Shayna, so I am or course interested in your upcoming book. I am in a book, club in Lake Oswego, OR and maybe we could read your book sometime. I understand your son is at UO, so we might even coordinate an author visit. What synagogue to you teach pre-school? My best friend teaches at Neveh Shalom,the conservative shul in Portland . Anyway, I’m so glad David found you and that your life and your children are so involved in the ARTS.
PS. Forgot to mention that was Dad is a Cornell grad. Great school!
Yes, Jim, I remember you. Jon lives in LA with his wife and 4 kids. He’s quite successful in the investment banking world. You can google him. As for me, I live here in Colorado and am a teacher. I also write books which is what this site is mostly about. Just getting the hang of this website thing! My brother Adam lives in NYC and my dad still lives in Port? Where are you?
Hi Shawn,
It sounds like David filled you in on our lives. I set this website up a while back and don’t check it too often. Still hoping to get published some day soon!
Thanks, Shawn. I’m trying to update my site, but I am very clumsy at navigating around WordPress. May need to meet with my consultant after the new year. I put chapter 1 of Shayna’s Song up ( I think) so you can get a taste of this historical piece, loosely based on my mom’s life. I teach at Temple Sinai Preschool now, but was at Herzl Jewish Day School (now the Denver Jewish Day School) for 20 years, mostly teaching first grade. Yes, we are big on the arts here. If you really want to get blown away, go to our older son Max’s website: http://www.artolution.org. He’s the real deal. I’m still not traditionally published, but when Shayna’s Song hits it big, I’d love to come to your book group! My next project is a book called Jack in July, also historical, which takes place in the summer of 1934. Just finished the first draft during NaNoWriMo. Hope to meet you someday!
Hi Rondi. My name is Rose Firestone. My family name is Greenfield. I believe we are cousins. I grew up in Bethpage Long Island. I would love to hear from you and look forward to it! You have my email address.
Rose