Who’s ready for spring? I know I am. It may not officially be here yet, but as of the end of the school day, spring break is! I’m so ready. As a result, my March newsletter is out a few days early. In addition to the writing topic here, it also includes a sneak peek…
Austen, Twilight, and Other Book-to-Screen Ramblings
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you’re celebrating with loved ones. I’m celebrating by sending out my monthly newsletter and talking about one of my favorite topics–book-to-screen adaptations. In addition to this topic, the newsletter also includes a “Who’s Your Character Valentine?” quiz featuring the main characters and love interests from Your Life Has Been Delayed…
Don’t Get in a Rut with Your Writing Process
Happy New Year! Remember how I said last month that I always have to know where the story is going to get to the end? I mean, that’s probably still true. But this past month has also reminded me that I should never say I’m always going to do something a certain way, because then…
What I Read in 2022
Happy New Year’s Eve! Per tradition, I’m wrapping up the year by sharing my 2022 reading list and statistics. My reading was a bit down this year, from 88 books in 2021 to 80 in 2022. Those 80 books broke down to: 12 middle grade 54 young adult 14 adult Most of those adult books…
All About Brainstorming
What’s the first thing you do when you start working on a new project? Do you dive right into writing, do you let the idea simmer, or do you start somewhere else? For me, the starting point is brainstorming, then outlining, with research sort of wrapped into both of those steps. For the writers following…
FLIRTING WITH FATE Plus a Few Other YA Books You Should Read
Happy Cyber Monday! Looking for some books to order? I have some suggestions! Of course, if you’d like to order mine, that would be awesome too, and signed copies make extra-awesome gifts! You can get signed copies of MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU at The Novel Neighbor, Main Street Books, Left Bank Books or Parnassus…
Revision Tip: Why You Should Read Your Manuscript Aloud
Before I get into today’s topic, I want to mention that my November newsletter is out today, and in particular, I have several events coming up over the next month. I have two signings at St. Louis Barnes & Noble stores, a virtual panel you can tune in to from anywhere, and will be participating…
MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE Plus a Few Other YA Books You Should Read
Hey everyone! So, I was a bit shocked when I looked back at my blog and realized the last time I posted YA mini-reviews was the end of July. Three months might be my longest stretch ever! At least I did toss in some middle grade reviews in between. The fact is, while I was…
Publishing Behind the Scenes: Interview with Audiobook Narrator Kimberly Wetherell
The team behind My Second Impression of You has been a true dream, especially because I’ve gotten to know many of the creators and artists working on the book in a way I didn’t with my first book. A few months ago I shared an interview with cover artist Jacqueline Li about her process, and today…
MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU Is Out Today!
Release day is finally here! I thought nothing could top sending my first book out into the world, but you know what? I really love this book. Every time I start reading it again, I don’t want to stop. My Second Impression of You was inspired by a stupid-awful thing that happened (I broke my foot…
MSIOY Releases Next Week! Where I’ll Be, Where to Order, How to Request
I can hardly believe it, but we’re just one week out from the release of My Second Impression of You! Even though I’ve been counting down, it still seems like the time is passing much more quickly than I anticipated now. I’m so excited to share this book with you all. To ensure you don’t miss…
THELMA BEE IN TOIL AND TREBLE and A Few Other MG Books You Should Read
Happy Labor Day! It’s been a while since I participated in Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, but I finally caught up on some middle grade reading, and these books are so fantastic I just had to jump back in! First up is THELMA BEE IN TOIL AND TREBLE by Erin Petti, which comes out tomorrow! I…
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog, where I review* books I love, offer writing tips, and share thoughts about reading, my writing journey, and other random stuff. If you subscribe, you’ll also receive news about my books and upcoming events. Check out the categories in the sidebar to narrow down some of my older blog posts, or if you’re a writer pursuing traditional publication, visit my Resources page for more targeted links. If there’s something I haven’t tackled on the blog that you’d like me to address—including questions about my books!—please contact me and I’ll do my best.
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