One Book to Unite Them All: A Peek at the One School, One Book Program

I’m so excited to share one of my favorite literacy programs — Read to Them’s amazing One School, One Book! 📚✨
They’ve just featured me as their back-to-school author and I’m giving you the inside scoop on how this program gets whole schools — students, teachers, and families — reading the same book together.

Why it’s awesome:
💡 Whole-school reads create shared experiences.
📚 Shared stories build connections.
✨ Reading becomes something everyone celebrates.

And guess what? My books Fenway and Hattie and Fenway and the Bone Thieves are part of it! 🐾💖

That’s the magic of a story shared by an entire school!

Author Life Gets Real: The Case of the Missing Document

Ever lost a document full of important notes? I did; and at first, it felt like a total disaster. But in my latest Behind the Scenes video, I’m sharing how that loss turned into an unexpected win for my work-in-progress.

Sometimes the best writing happens when you have to start fresh.

Turns out, losing my notes was like dropping my ice cream… and finding out there’s cake. 🍦🎂 Come see how it all turned out!

The Art Behind the Story: All About Ilustrations

🎬 New Behind-the-Scenes episode: Who Decides What a Book Looks Like?
(Spoiler: Not the author!)

In traditional publishing, authors don’t pick the illustrator or direct the art. That’s the magic of the art director and design team—they choose the look, guide the visuals, and bring the story to life in ways that often surprise even us!

🎨 Making a children’s book is a true team effort.
📚 Great art directors match words + images to elevate the story.
🤝 It takes more than just the writer or illustrator.

Next time you read a kids’ book, give a little love to the whole creative crew!

Behind the Sticker: How Signed Copies Land on Bookstore Shelves

This week on my “Behind the Scenes” YouTube playlist, I’m pulling back the curtain on something readers often wonder about: how signed books actually end up on bookstore shelves. 🖊️📚

Ever spotted that shiny “Signed by the Author” sticker and thought, Wait... how did this happen? Well, it’s not magic (though it does feel special).

There’s more than one way signed copies make their way into readers’ hands. And in this video, I’m giving you the inside scoop. Ready for a peek behind the scenes? Hit play and find out!

Next time you spot a signed book in the wild, you’ll know the story behind it. And trust me, every signature has a little adventure of its own.

Think Writing's a Solo Sport?

This week on my “Behind the Scenes” YouTube playlist, I’m sharing something that might surprise you, but has made all the difference in my writing process. 🧠💥 You know those messy moments when doubt creeps in, the plot tangles up, or your inner critic goes full volume? My solution? I ask for help. 📣✋ Yup, even from another pro. Especially from another pro. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a power move! Working with a trusted, seasoned storyteller gives me fresh perspective, renewed energy, and the clarity to unluck the “real story” and move forward. Curious how that works? Hit play and find out!

Because even plot twists are easier to handle with a good sidekick. 😉

My Writing Survival Secret!

This week on my “Behind the Scenes” YouTube playlist, I’m sharing something very unexpected that helps me push through the mental messiness of writing. 🧠💥 You know, those moments of doubt, distraction, perfectionism, and total creative freeze? My solution? I swim in cold water. ❄️🏊‍♀️ Yup, really. It's not just a quirky hobby. It’s my secret weapon for bravery, clarity, and getting unstuck. Curious how that works? Take the plunge and watch the video!

Fair warning: It might give you chills! 😂

Show Me the Book Money!

This week on YouTube, I’m diving into one of the questions I get all the time: “How do children’s authors actually make money?” Spoiler alert: it’s not just book sales. I’m breaking it all down—advances, royalties, school visits, teaching, speaking gigs, and a few unexpected twists you might not see coming. Because the truth is, most of us are patching together a creative little income quilt from all kinds of sources. It’s unpredictable, it’s scrappy, and honestly? It’s kind of fascinating.

Psst! Just don’t get into kidlit if your dream is to buy a yacht. 😂

The Great School Visit Glow-up!

This summer, I’m giving my school visit presentations a glow-up. Not the content - that's dialed in and hitting all the right notes - but the slides themselves. Because after using the same ones over and over (even though they're brand new to the kids each time), I'll admit... they're starting to feel a little blah from my perspective.

So, I'm spending this East Coast heat wave parked in the A/C, giving everything a design refresh. Think: more fun, more cute, more "me."