Welcome
{ to my blog }.
Welcome to my blog.
Thanks for visiting my blog. My hope is to post every 1-2 weeks with a combination of adventure stories, craft/writing posts, book reviews, and other non-boring, exciting content to keep you coming back for more!
When the World’s on Fire — Be a Sequoia
I'm happiest on a forest trail inhaling the pine-scented air and wandering aimlessly. When a breeze rustles the overhead leaves and squirrels zip around in the undergrowth, a sense of peace settles upon me. Every time I hike in nature, I swear I'm ready to move to a...
School Lockdown Drills: Helping Kids Cope
It's Back-to-School time, but it's not all pencils and school buses. This commercial speaks to the grim reality of the modern classroom: The video is sponsored by Sandy Hook Promise whose mission is to end school shootings and gun violence. How do we prepare our...
Change Can Be Good
I'm back! I haven't posted a blog in a LONG time, because life swept me into a hurricane over the last year. There's been a lot of changes, but life if good. I'm thrilled to still be working closely with agent Michelle Hauck at Storm Literary Agency. She has a great...
Olympic National Park: 8-day Itinerary with Trails, Accommodations, and Sights
I return from every national park thinking it was the best one...and I've done it again. Olympic National Park (ONP) in Washington state brought out my inner geek. So many ecosystems in one place! There are mountains, rainforests, and beaches with tidepools. My family...
Picture Books and Pride
If your child struggles with a bully at school or can't understand their math homework, you do your best to help. Maybe you explain what makes for a "good" friend or help them recognize which people are toxic so their nasty insults can slide off. You sit by their side...
My Newest Obsession: Historical Fiction
I have fallen in love with historical fiction! I usually read to be entertained and escape reality for a while. My preferences include thrillers and action-packed stories with a fast pace, but I’ve been dabbling in different genres. At a recent SCBWI writing...
I got THE CALL !
I got the call! (I’m sure you heard my screams from wherever you stood on the earth!) Michelle Hauck at Storm Literary Agency offered to represent me as my literary agent. She made an exciting announcement on Twitter/X. Many people have asked when my book will come...
My Writing Journey: A Story’s Complicated Path to the Bookshelf
The Many Faces of Publishing I'm often asked questions about the writing business, so I thought I'd walk through my experience (so far). It's not easy! I'm sure you know someone who had instant success and wedged their foot in the publishing world with little effort -...
The Drive to Work
If you're like me, your best thinking is done while driving. I crank the Lumineers channel on Pandora and think about the day. Today, I consciously tallied the many directions my brain traveled and thought I'd share. Before leaving the house, I had two cups of coffee,...
Creating Interesting Characters: With Louise Belcher as Our Guide
I’m back! I haven't blogged for a bit, but I’ve never stopped writing, working, creating, and moving. My 2024 goals include writing whenever possible, a new contracted book series from Mayo, and continuing my search for an agent who is equally passionate about...
Julieta and the Romeos – An Interview with Author Maria Andreu
Needing a fun summer read? Look no further! Julieta and the Romeos is a contemporary young adult novel that triggers warm fuzzies and personal reflection as we follow Jules on a journey to discover who she is and what she wants out of life. (It's so much more than...
Our Utah Vacation – Visiting the Big 5 National Parks
I'm always planning the next trip... We're off to Antigua for Spring Break, lake time at the Ozarks this summer, and Canada fishing in the fall. Work hard to play hard! Our Utah vacation to the Big 5 National Parks ranks among our best trips. Prior to booking...