Being a writer for the long haul means having the ability to reinvent yourself as you go along. Each book changes you. Each year changes you. Publishing changes, too. The publishing world is very different now than in 2009 when my first YA novel, DREAMING ANASTASIA launched. I’ll be talking about all this in future posts, but for now, let’s just say it was time to freshen things up in the old website. My original site was created by me and the computer science teacher at Oak Ridge High School back in 2007 or so, and it had undergone and overhaul or two courtesy of various delightful web masters, but late last year I realized it was time to take it all down and build it up again. The blog I’d kept for over a decade was going to disappear too, although I’ve moved a couple random posts here — basset-boxer and my lunch with Edward Albee- because quirky weird stuff is what keeps me going.

One thing will never change, and that’s why I write. I write to tell stories about what it means to be a human on this planet. (I’m assuming we’re all thinking hard about that right now as the country reels and the pandemic keeps claiming lives and everything feels like it’s on fire) I write what I know, but mostly I write what I don’t know. What I want to figure out.  I write stories that I wanted when I was younger. I write because I can’t imagine my life without writing.

So welcome to my new website. This is where you can find my thoughts, my books, my workshops, and more.  I write, I teach, I work with emerging writers, and I’m a bookseller now, too, so I’ll be talking about all that and more – including my own new projects. I’m writing picture books and middle grade now, too. My heart is finding new stories every day!

Anyway. I’m back!  And if you’re reading this, I’m glad. More soon.