Tara Blieden Rothman (that’s me!) is a retired educator, software developer, and web designer. I have been researching and documenting my family history for over 40 years. I love keeping family stories alive and believe that learning about the past helps us discover who we are. Genealogy has shown me that every ancestor’s story holds a piece of who we are today. That’s why my books — including my first, Gussie’s Suitcase Packed with Courage, Hope, and Secrets — are inspired by real lives, real journeys, and real history.

My love for preserving memories started early. Some of my first scrapbooks were filled with pictures of the Mouseketeers from The Mickey Mouse Club in the mid to late 1950s.. Since then, scrapbooking has been one of my favorite ways to capture life’s important events and fun times — now often in the form of digital books I share with family and friends.

For much of my career, I was a technical writer in the world of computer programming and technology training, creating precise documentation and detailed instructions. Now, I’m challenging myself to write in a different way — a way that sparks curiosity and makes history feel alive for children. Joining a writers’ group sponsored by the Jewish Genealogy Society of Connecticut has been an invaluable step in learning how to tell stories that are both factually rich and emotionally engaging.

When I’m not writing, you can find me working on a new scrapbook, solving family history mysteries, or planning the next Tiny Tale. My goal is simple: to inspire children (and their grown-ups) to treasure the past, understand the present, and imagine the future.