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Recently home from Taiwan and a visit with my grandsons has got me thinking like a writer of books for children. What if? What if your biracial Taiwanese cousin comes to stay for a year? What if he is going to go to school with you? What if you are in 5th grade and you are already having trouble navigating school, social life... what if your sister and best friend and confidant is away on an exchange program and your other best friend is no help at all? Where is this kid going [...]

A batch of fan mail helps brighten the New Year. It always warms the heart to read something like: I loved your book My Name is Sangoel. However at least ninety percent of the letters begin or end this way. So I remain a little skeptical. Some get deeper into the literary criticism : I love your book because it *have* so many good details. You have a very good book! Is there going to be a second book? (Sequels and series books are hugely popular...why can't I write some?) I love your [...]

Feeling honored to have three books on this list. Don't miss Multicultural Children's Books Day January 25, 2019. See more here: https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com Happy New Year! Make reading a priority.

  Working title:  The Forest Does Its Work And Bear Helps(Maybe you do too).   Since I am working on a PB about nature and the change of seasons, here is a little of what we have had in Pittsburgh lately.  

    Some of you will remember when all I had to worry(rant?) about on Thanksgiving was the fact that the turkey I bought did not have a pop-up timer.  I wrote about it here. Turns out it is still all about the timing.  Let's start with the date.  One thing and another has those of us who could make it being thankful together on Friday this year instead of Thursday. Long weekend.  Who knows what day it is anyway? It all still comes down to what time to put the poultry into [...]

The Western Pennsylvania 2018 Fall conference was an inspiring event.  A shout out to the organizers and to the faculty including agents and editors: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill (Red Fox Literay) Samantha Gentry(Assistant editor Crown books) Susan Graham(Einstein Literary Management) Charlotte Wenger(editor Page Street Kids) Thanks for your generous sharing! Now it's time to submit those manuscripts!  I'll be redrafting, tightening, adding some humor, stronger characters and attending to voice, honing the craft.   Perfecting my twitter abilities and balancing the writing life with self promotion and social media.  WHEW!   Here we go! Stay tuned!