I’ve been told by readers, and some vicious but well-loved critique partners, that one of my strengths is description. I’ve also been told about my weaknesses, but I’ll save that for another column. Description: 1. a written representation or account of a person, object, or event 2. a sort, kind, or class of people or … Read More →
Most of the time, I do months of research before even starting to write a book. I explore settings, historical characters, and historical events taking place not only where my story takes place but in the rest of the world at the time. I like to feel comfortable with my stage before my characters even … Read More →
What do you remember about Huck Finn? As I prepared to reread THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in preparation for writing a condensation of the story for Caramel Tree, I remembered that it was about Tom Sawyer’s sidekick Huck and Jim, a slave, and their adventures rafting down the Mississippi. I remembered it was hard … Read More →
My newest book from Reading a-z, THE GREAT LAND RUN, is coming soon! The illustrations are fantastic. I love the way the story turned out. It was quite a journey to get it to this final stage. Originally, I was contracted to write a non-fiction book about The Old West. Easy enough. I’ve spent many … Read More →
One of the first authors I fell in love with was Mark Twain. I had a book of his short stories that I read over and over and over… So, I was really excited when Caramel Tree asked me to write a condensed version of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER for second language learners. Reading … Read More →
I’ll admit, sometimes it is hard writing for the education market. Not that I don’t love it! I love researching new topics. I love working with great editors that care about getting the content just right. I love seeing the book come together with the illustrations. I love picturing little hands thumbing through the pages. … Read More →