Happy Book Birthday to me! HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES

My debut young adult novel HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES (Simon Pulse) officially launched on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. To celebrate, the next few days will include interviews, guest blog posts, and giveaways. Here’s a list. Tuesday 5/7 The awesome Bethany Crandell,...

These shoes were made for writing…

Note: This post originally appeared on MacTeenBooks.com   There’s something to be said for doing something badly. Like writing with your left hand when you’re right-handed. Your script might not be pretty, but the exercise is good for your mind. Of course I have...

Standing in a Cow Pasture in Amarillo, Texas

Ever since she was three, we’ve been charting my daughter’s growth on the doorframe of her bedroom closet. Tiny marks etched into the wood; a date beside each. The big jumps from one pencil mark to the next always surprise us both. We don’t see physical growth while...

Writer2Writer with author Kit Grindstaff

Today on the blog I’m talking to Kit Grindstaff, author of the upcoming novel THE FLAME IN THE MIST (Delacorte Press) and fellow member of The Lucky 13s, an awesome group of children’s and young adult authors with novels debuting in 2013. The pub date for THE...

Writer2Writer Wednesday with author Claire Caterer

Today on the blog I’m talking with Claire Caterer, author of the middle grade novel THE KEY AND THE FLAME (Margaret K. McElderry Books / Simon & Schuster April 2, 2013) and fellow member of The Lucky 13s, an awesome group of children’s and young adult...

Writer2Writer Wednesday: Undercover Author Revealed

NOTE: This post first appeared on the MacTeenBooks website. Five years ago I finished a rough draft of what would become my first young adult novel. A story about a teen obit writer who learns about life and love during a summer spent writing about death. As I worked...