Do you see that? There on the ground? It’s a potato. It’s just sitting there, all by itself, on the sidewalk. How did it get there? This lost potato is the perfect writing prompt. I can think of lots of stories about how that potato ended up there. Send me your stories about the Lost… Read more »
General writing
Room for Improvement
Running has a finish line, but with stories, there’s always room for improvement. Virginia Wolf wrote that it’s essential for women to have a room of one’s own, and I don’t disagree. But there’s another room that’s also essential. Room for Improvement. I don’t usually write stories for specific contests, but I will revise them…. Read more »
Wild About Reading Books
We love reading books in this house. We also love reading books outside, on the bus, while we’re walking, and even in the parked minivan in the garage. Graphic Novels The book that has captured the attention of this van reader is a graphic novel in the Amulet series. He got book 4 in his… Read more »
New Publication: Highlights for Children, March 2017
I’m so excited to share the news about my new piece in Highlights for Children! Just take a look on the inside cover of the March 2017 issue. It’s a small piece, but the topic is really appropriate for today and I think, is a fun way to get to know more about the people… Read more »
Sixth, a Graphic Novel
Here’s the next installment of my foray into the realm of graphic novels. They are super popular in my house and the reading community right now. I only wish I had the ability to convey the awkwardness, the angry, the hopes and plans. But these sketches will have to do. There’s not a lot of… Read more »
Emoji Tales
I love writing stories, and today I’m going to write an emoji tale. Emojis are so fun. Yes, they irritate some people, but not me. Sometimes I have trouble deciphering them because I rely so heavily on non-verbal communication to really understand what someone is trying to say. My most popular post on this blog… Read more »
Pennsylvania Books
Ready for a reading list of Pennsylvania books? Last summer, I came up with a “Reading Road Trip” article that described the real places in the U.S. featured in some of my favorite books. As a kid, I dreamed of visiting the places I read about, everything… Read more »
Pig Out for Reading
I remember falling in love with reading. I’ve been reading a lot of middle grade books the past year, because that’s what I want to write. I want to write books like the kind I read from fifth to eighth grade, the kind I re-read and re-re-read. They were the books that really stuck with… Read more »
Books to Read on a Visit to the Southwest
At the end of 2016, we took a family vacation to Arizona. Like all good vacations, I prepared a little reading list for the trip. The Books While we were traveling, I read Land of Little Rain by Mary Austin and Turtle Dream by Gerald Hausman. There were little pearls of word wonder in both books…. Read more »
New Publication: Highlights for Children!
I’m so excited to share that my first piece for Highlights for Children appears in their January 2017 issue. Check out the crafts section for some spinning science fun and you’ll see instructions on how to make a Super Spinner. If your child makes a Super Spinner, send me a photo on Facebook or Twitter… Read more »