Picture Book Writing Retreats
I am so excited to be offering a Picture Book Writing Retreat this May on Bald Head Island, NC. This dream of mine is finally coming true, and the retreat gives me the chance to combine so many of my passions: editing, writing, teaching, and spending time at the...
Online Children’s Book Writing Contests
Every year I participate in several online Children’s Book Writing Contests. These contests for unpublished and published authors are a fun way to practice craft, come up with ideas, test out the opening pages of your book, and even win awards or credentials that might help lead to publication....
Halloweensie Contest
Halloweensie Contest Entry 2022...
Writing my way through the Query Trenches
For anyone in the query trenches. You are not alone. ...
Picture Books About the Beach
A list of recently published picture books about the beach....
What I’m Reading – Top 3 Horror Middle Grade Novels
It's October and I've been cozy reading spooky, middle grade horror this month. Here are my current Top 3 Horror Middle Grade Novels just in time for Halloween....
Adventures – on Stone Mountain
High atop Stone Mountain the broad-winged hawk perches, twisting his head this way and thatpeering downwatchingzeroing in… From where he sits, the long trunked white pine’s roots break through the earth, ends tapping onto stone that formed below the surface — a hot molten lava mound now cooled and...
In the Kitchen – Chard-Tahini Dip
When I'm not reading or writing, I'm cooking. ...
50 Precious Words Story
Heart Stone By the moonlit sandy dunesthe heart stonelies very still. The ocean waters, ever-moving— swish-shuh-wish-shuh-wishnearly reach the stone. Ghost crabs skitter by.Loggerheads waddle to sea. Warming. Brightening,the beach awakens. A willet skims the sunrise. The tide recedes— swish-shuh-wish Tiny toes. Mommy, look.Treasure. You can learn more about Vivian...
50 Precious Words Contest
I’m excited to be participating in Vivian Kirkfield‘s #50PreciousWords Contest this year. Writing picture books is hard work. Seriously. In 500 words, picture books must do what novels do in 50,000. That’s why I took the challenge this year to write a story in 50 words or less. I...