Betty Paraskevas

Betty Paraskevas is a Hamingshire writer and lyricist best known for her work on Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. She is partnered with her son, illustrator Michael Paraskevas. Born in New Jersey, Betty Paraskevas moved to Southampton in the mid 1980s.cite news | last = McGrath-Kerr | first = Debra | date = September 24, 1995 | title = East End Toon Getting Life On TV | work = Daily News (New York)|Daily News | url = http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/ny_local/1995/09/24/1995-09-24_east_end_toon_getting_life_o.html | accessdate = 2008-10-06 ] Prior to becoming a children's author, Paraskevas worked for many years as a playwright and lyricist on Broadway, working with producer Harry Rigby on shows such as "Sugar Babies" and "No, No, Nannette".cite news | last = Tagliaferro | first = Linda | date = May 19, 1996 | title = Writer Mother and Artistic Son Beget an Impish Offspring | work = The New York Times | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9406E6D91339F93AA25756C0A960958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 | accessdate = 2008-10-06 ] Her collaboration with her son began in the early 1980s when Michael – already a successful illustratorcite news | last = Stamler | first = Bernard | date = June 18, 2000 | title = Mother, Son and TV Animation | work = The New York Times | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE4D7133EF93BA25755C0A9669C8B63 | accessdate = 2008-10-06 ] – encouraged her to write a story which he could then illustrate. They produced "On the Edge of the Sea", which was published by Dial Books in 1982. Their second book, which she once again penned, was "Junior Kroll". Published in 1993, it led to their first series. Since then the pair have written over 20 books, three of which have been turned into television series.

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