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New Blog Location
Hi everyone
I've moved my blog to my new website. Click here to find me online. Thanks for stopping by! -
Hi!
Welcome to my blog! I'm the author of MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES (Dial Books 2009), THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET (Dial Books 2010), NOTES FROM AN ACCIDENTAL BAND GEEK (Dial Books 2011), and 2014 Edgar Award finalist MOXIE AND THE ART OF RULE BREAKING (Dial Books 2013), and OLLIE AND THE SCIENCE OF TREASURE HUNTING (Dial Books ( Read more... ) -
2017's Word of the Year: Prioritize
It's not a very glamorous word, but this year I need practical, not fancy. I have Plans. I want to Do Things. I also had a really full plate at the end of 2016 that had me working at a high level that is pretty much unsustainable. I was grouchy and snapped at my family, stressed out all the time, and felt like someone had scraped out my insides ( Read more... ) -
2016 Wrap up, 2017 launch
(It seems that I only blog for memorial posts and resolutions these days...)
Every year, inspired by jbknowles I choose a word to define my goals, plans and resolutions. My word for 2016 was Diversification. I wanted to spread out, try new things. Here's how I did ( Read more... ) -
My Princess Carries a Blaster
When I was five, I wanted to be a princess. Not one with a tiara and a big dress--that has never been my scene. My princess had cinnamon bun hair, sassed her bumbling "rescuers", carried a blaster and was connected to the Force ( Read more... ) -
Protection is another form of censorship
"Protection," when uttered by a librarian or teacher or another gatekeeper, is another word for censorship. Individual families may choose what they will or won't read/watch/listen to--that's their prerogative. But when institutions block access to materials *for their whole community* out of some misguided sense of "protection," that's censorship ( Read more... ) -
How to Thank an Author in 15 Minutes or Less
Maybe your school Skyped with an author this year. Maybe one came to a book fair or festival, or your Girl Scout troop or a fundraiser. Maybe someone donated a signed book for a raffle or giveaway. Maybe they donated their time and waived a fee for you. These are things authors love to do--they help us connect with our readers, our communities, and ( Read more... ) -
On Prince and Bowie
I've had a note in my bullet journal since January to write about David Bowie. And I'd page past it, sigh, and keep going. I didn't have the words. Not because I am a huge Bowie fan--actually, that's my husband. He's seen him live, loved even the most experimental Bowie material, and was deeply saddened by his loss. I couldn't write about it ( Read more... ) -
Setting Course
Recently I've been thinking about my author-life a lot. I have been able to do some really cool things since I've been published, and I'm so fortunate to have experiences with all types of writers. And each of those experiences have helped something crystalize for me ( Read more... ) -
My Word for 2016....Diversify
For the past few years, inspired by jbknowles I've picked a word to use as a theme to guide my resolutions. For 2016, I've chosen "diversify" as my word. Here's how I want to use this word to guide my year:
Writing: Last year, I spent a lot of (needed) time working on one big project. I struggled and pushed hard, and my creative well ran dry. Julia Cameron ( Read more... )