Foust, J'aimé L. 1955–

(J'aimé Lynn Foust)

PERSONAL: Given name is pronounced "zha-may"; born July 10, 1955, in Hollywood, CA; daughter of William E. (an aeronautical engineer and attorney) and Bette L. (an administrative assistant; maiden name, Miller) Meyer; married Jim Foust (a naval officer and financial planner), August 23, 1983; stepchildren: Jamie Allison, Paul Damon. Education: Temple University, B.S. (magna cum laude), 1985; University of Southern Mississippi, M.Ed., 1988; State University of New York at Albany, M.L.S., 1991. Politics: Liberal Democrat. Religion: Methodist. Hobbies and other interests: Quilting, reading, gardening.

ADDRESSES: Home—585 Antone Mountain Rd., Corinth, NY 12822. Office—Queensbury High School, 409 Aviation Rd., Queensbury, NY 12804. E-mail—jfoust@queensburyschool.org.

CAREER: Writer and librarian. Queensbury High School, Queensbury, NY, social studies teacher, 1985–91, librarian, 1991–. Military service: U.S. Navy, operations specialist and petty officer, 1975–80. U.S. Naval Reserve, drug and alcohol counselor, 1980–84.

MEMBER: American Library Association, Eastern New York School Library Media Association, Hudson River Piecemaker's Quilt Guild (president, 1995–97), Wings Falls Quilt Guild (vice president, 1993–95; president, 2003–).

WRITINGS:

Dewey Need to Get Organized?, Linworth Publishing (Worthington, OH), 2002.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Research on friendship and group quilts.

SIDELIGHTS: J'aimé L. Foust told CA: "Life takes some strange twists and turns. If I had ever imagined I would be published, I would have thought it would be the angst-ridden poetry of my teen years, not a 'how-to' book on organization for school librarians. Yet here I am. My goal in writing the book was to help people get past the negative criticisms of how others view those of us who are 'organizationally impaired' and work from positive strengths—with a good dose of humor. I hope I've achieved that.

"People who have most influenced me and my work are not the grand writers of notable fame, but rather those who have guided and nurtured me: teachers, friends, grandparents, my mother and brother, and, most of all, my husband. When dreaming of fame and fortune, it helps to have someone who is willing to do a load of laundry and make lunch!

"I was one of those 'freaks of nature' who actually loved diagramming sentences. Writing comes fairly naturally to me; it's like talking on paper. I've always loved language, both reading and writing. I say that never having attempted the Great American novel, but perhaps one day…."