Kathy Stinson: Hello. My name is Kathy Stinson. My parents named me Katherine Joyce, but only my mother ever called me Katherine. Stinson is the last name of the young man I married when I was not yet 20. We divorced after my first two books had been published, Red is Best and Big or Little. I thought of going back to my maiden name, but after 11 years of being Kathy Stinson, Kathy Powell didn't feel like who I was anymore either. I thought, "What about Katherine Joyce? That has always been my name, and what a great name for a writer." By the time I thought of it though, I'd had five books published under the name Kathy Stinson. Publishers said I'd be foolish to throw away the name recognition factor for future books, since I was trying valiantly to make my living as a writer. And succeeding, Kathy Stinson I stayed.

Years later, since I couldn't change my own name, I let one of my characters change hers instead. Ruby in Becoming Ruby does have to become Ruby. She didn't start out that way. Kathy Stinson is now the name on the cover of almost 25 books and I've heard kids across Canada saying Kathy Stinson for 25 years. You know what? I like how my name sounds coming out of their mouths. Kathy Stinson is also now someone I'm very happy to be.