Bio

Born in 1978, New York native Samantha Schutz grew up with her older sister and parents, who discovered Samantha’s talent for writing at a young age. Her passion blossomed during her sixth-grade year when she wrote her first short story. Her school days were filled with constant writing in composition journals, which she would laboriously decorate with magazine clippings, drawings, and stickers. And if her journal was accidentally left at home, she’d find comfort in napkins, paper scraps, and even the palms of her hands. Always found with a pen in hand, Samantha discovered love in literature and writing.

Released in July 2006, Samantha’s first book, I Don't Want to Be Crazy, features biographical poetry that chronicles her plight with a psychological disorder. After leaving home for college, Samantha thought she was ridding herself of limitations and boundaries. Instead of liberation, however, Samantha found herself imprisoned by the new pressures in her life. As they heightened, she fell victim to anxiety attacks that would leave her emotionally distressed and physically debilitated. The book details her journey of discovery and how she learned to cope with the disorder. In an effort to help others who have trudged down the same turbulent path of mental illness, Samantha plans to do book readings and community outreach in the near future.

A graduate of Skidmore College, Samantha currently works as a children’s book editor in New York City.