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What’s the best part of writing conferences? Is it the chance to pitch? Is it insider information? Is it awards or the free food? I think it’s the people. The connections. That’s what I miss most about going to conferences. The last big one I went to was the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York… Read more »

You may of heard there are two kinds of writers, pantsers, who write by the seat of their pants. They let the creativity flow and discover the story as they go. Plotters plan it all out in advance. They know the ending before they write “once upon a time.” I’ve done a bit of both…. Read more »

I love reading nonfiction. I love writing nonfiction. And I love being a part of SteamTeam Books. This website features year long announcements and celebrations of nonfiction books for all ages. Really all ages. There are “I Can Code” books for babies up to young adult novel length books. There are all kinds of books… Read more »

Are you watching The Repair Shop? It’s a soothing, satisfying show on Netflix that features repairs of cherished family heirlooms. I love this show. It’s not without its problems, specifically that almost every single family bringing a valuable item is white. There are too many families that had their connections to their family history torn… Read more »

I’m so excited to share these new graphic novels for young readers! These three new fun, fiction stories introduce readers to reading graphic novels. I adore the illustrations – they really brought each story to life. I couldn’t resist including some of my favorite topics. Anyone familiar with my instagram will recognize some baking disasters… Read more »

Are northern saw-whet owls the cutest birds in the world? Maybe. Earlier this year, my family adopted a northern saw-whet owl for me. I couldn’t wait to meet the little critters in person, plus participate in some community science. So I waited for the announcements from the National Aviary to join in Project Owlnet. Unfortunately,… Read more »

Need some nonfiction about the job of the President? Get your copy here! 

I’m so excited about an upcoming workshop that I’m taking through the Highlights Foundation. “DISMANTLING THE KALEIDOSCOPE: ESSENTIAL CONVERSATIONS IN KIDLIT, A VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM 2020” will challenge participants to “talk about misrepresentations in books” and “develop action plans for resisting them.” I’ve got all the books for the reading list. I can’t wait to learn… Read more »

Are you a teacher or author looking for a virtual author visit? I love connecting with classrooms and talking about nonfiction. We can work with a local bookstore to get kids copies of signed books. We have great discussions about research and writing about technology, medicine, mistakes, and more. I can do author Q&As or… Read more »

I’m excited that Spider magazine recently accepted a fiction story and a recipe. They will be in print at some point. Magazines work very far in the future (think eight months to two years!) Eventually I’ll be able to share the actual publications. I also received a rejection for a word game that I submitted…. Read more »