About David Gorman,
Author & Speaker
I'm David, and I write chapter books for kids 8-12! I also speak to 3rd-5th graders to inspire them to read, write, and pursue their dreams. It's a pretty cool job, right?
My Waldameer Mystery Files book series is about kids solving mysteries at Waldameer & Water World, my family's amusement park in Erie, Pennsylvania. Did you know Waldameer is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country? It has lots of fun history that I include in the books.
Now I live in Richmond, Virginia, and I make trips back to Pennsylvania and around Virginia to speak at schools and meet Waldameer Mystery Files readers at book signings.
Follow me on my socials to see my adventures!
How I Became an Author
Before I was an author, I was a regular kid whose family happened to own an amusement park. Waldameer is definitely an uncommon family business, but it felt normal to me!
I worked at Waldameer from 12 years old through college. I put wristbands on guests, served food at catered picnics, answered phones, and collected and counted money in the office. Waldameer was my second home in the summer, much like Seth and Julia, the two main characters in my series.
Growing up, I always loved reading, but in high school, I discovered writing (thanks, Mr. Lane!). Once I got to college, I studied Creative Writing. After college, I taught English in Vietnam for a year. Living in Vietnam was an amazing cultural experience. I returned home with a global perspective, which inspired me to include diverse characters from all over the world in my series.
Wanting me to keep my writing skills sharp, my mom suggested I write a children's books about Waldameer. I wrote The Long-Lost Locket in 2016, and my family loved it. Other people loved it too, so I decided to write more. The Waldameer Mystery Files series was born!
Six books later, my series is going strong, and I'm getting the hang of this author thing. My favorite part is speaking at schools to inspire students to read and write as well as meeting readers at book signings.
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