Since joining Twitter in 2013 I've been an avid fan of pitchfests, but I've never actually participated in one. For this Thursday's #PitMad I thought I'd give it a shot. What’s #PitMad, you ask? It’s an event on Twitter where authors pitch their … [Continue reading]
Happy Endings
Posted on April 15, 2021 ·
Somehow it’s April and student teaching is behind me. I spent January and February learning how to teach a class of second grade students online, and then I spent March getting to know them in person. As hard as it was to say goodbye, I had the … [Continue reading]
How to Fall in Love with Writing All Over Again
Posted on February 21, 2021 ·
It happens—sometimes you just lose your love for writing. Like all relationships, there are exhilarating highs and plunging lows. Maybe you’ve bravely faced off a monthslong slew of rejections but the last one finally broke you. Maybe you can’t … [Continue reading]
That’s a Wrap on Halloween Eternal! Now What?
Posted on January 31, 2021 ·
2021 is off to a busy start for me, although I’m on a leave of absence from both of my jobs. What’s keeping me busy is student teaching, a twelve-week internship where I get to put into practice everything I’ve learned the last fourteen months about … [Continue reading]
2020 End of Year Book Survey
Posted on December 27, 2020 ·
Thanks as always to host Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner for this awesome end-of-year book survey! This is my sixth time participating, and it’s always a delight looking back on the books I read and sharing some of my favorites with you. Like in … [Continue reading]
One Hour a Day
Posted on November 30, 2020 ·
A year ago this week I started coursework for my post-baccalaureate teaching certification. Today I submitted my final assignments, and now I have the month of December to prepare for student teaching. I have no idea what that will look like—probably … [Continue reading]
Zombie Slime, Hocus Pocus, and Other Scary Stuff
Posted on October 31, 2020 ·
Happy Halloween, everyone! The day started with an astonishing sunrise and is ending on a blue moon. I'm taking a break from fiction during my morning writing block to scribble an October blog post that I've meant to write for weeks. Every time I sat … [Continue reading]
Autumn Days Are Here Again
Posted on September 22, 2020 ·
The summer felt like it would never end, but finally it’s candle weather again. In August I penned a Halloween-themed middle grade book featuring a haunted house, a creepy corn maze, and a graveyard where the skeletons come to life. It was crazy fun … [Continue reading]
The Magic of Seven
Posted on July 7, 2020 ·
“Memories, Dreams, and Writerly Pursuits: Seven Years of Blogging.” That’s the title of my new book, although it's not a book in the traditional sense. Instead, it's a collection of the nearly one hundred posts I've shared since starting this blog … [Continue reading]
Am I Doing Enough?
Posted on June 16, 2020 ·
Something I’ve learned in the last year as I work toward my teaching certification is how imperative on-going self-assessment is. Teachers are expected to constantly evaluate themselves—every morning before class, after each encounter with every … [Continue reading]
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