Blog Archive - Announcements

6th grade lunch is for cannibal rabbits

April 23, 2019

The summer before sixth grade my family moved. Again. This time to Hawaii.

Obviously we couldn’t take the rabbits, but that was okay since we were getting a little sick of them and the way one of them kept having babies and the other one kept eating them. The hutch where they lived looked like a major crime scene most mornings. My dad said they’d gone feral. Nobody went into the backyard anymore. They ran the place. I have a picture in my head of my sister standing up in a patch of chard, her index finger pointing straight out with a rabbit attached to it by his teeth. It seems likely that there was a lot less blood than...

The summer before sixth grade my family moved. Again. This time to Hawaii.

Obviously we couldn’t take the rabbits, but that was okay since we were getting a little sick of them and the way one of them kept having babies and the other one kept eating them. The hutch where they lived looked like a major crime scene most mornings. My dad said they’d gone feral. Nobody went into the backyard anymore. They ran the place. I have a picture in my head of my sister standing up in a patch of chard, her index finger pointing straight out with a rabbit attached to it by his teeth. It seems likely that there was a lot less blood than...

Fan Art from the very talented Jane Andrews

September 10, 2018

Isn’t this beautiful? I really can’t get over it. Ms. Jane Andrews was so kind and so generous and took the time to send me a copy of her interpretation of Raul and White Wolf. I love it.

Isn’t this beautiful? I really can’t get over it. Ms. Jane Andrews was so kind and so generous and took the time to send me a copy of her interpretation of Raul and White Wolf. I love it.

Fan Art from the very talented Jane Andrews

September 10, 2018

Isn’t this beautiful? I really can’t get over it. Ms. Jane Andrews was so kind and so generous and took the time to send me a copy of her interpretation of Raul and White Wolf. I love it.

Isn’t this beautiful? I really can’t get over it. Ms. Jane Andrews was so kind and so generous and took the time to send me a copy of her interpretation of Raul and White Wolf. I love it.

How to get your novel published

May 17, 2018

If you were wondering how I found an agent and a publisher for my novel, or want to know why I called it This is Not a Werewolf Story, or how my son made it impossible for me to give up, then here’s a short interview with the website that helped me organize the process. The story of how my novel found a home with Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers can be found at querytracker.net.

If you were wondering how I found an agent and a publisher for my novel, or want to know why I called it This is Not a Werewolf Story, or how my son made it impossible for me to give up, then here’s a short interview with the website that helped me organize the process. The story of how my novel found a home with Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers can be found at querytracker.net.

#TomeCon18 skype

March 13, 2018

This is me before the skyperview. I was trying to figure out where the camera was so I didn’t end up talking to my own little picture in the corner for half an hour.

Here are a few questions the students at #TomeCon18 asked me. Since I pretty much talked everyone’s ear off already, I’m limiting myself to one word answers (you know, more or less).

A big thank you to the inspiring and thought-provoking students who showed up to spend time with me!

(psst : I am using Georgia font in their honor)

What is your least favorite character in This is Not a Werewolf Story? Vincent.

What is your favorite under-appreciated novel? Hmm. Still chewing on that one. I...

This is me before the skyperview. I was trying to figure out where the camera was so I didn’t end up talking to my own little picture in the corner for half an hour.

Here are a few questions the students at #TomeCon18 asked me. Since I pretty much talked everyone’s ear off already, I’m limiting myself to one word answers (you know, more or less).

A big thank you to the inspiring and thought-provoking students who showed up to spend time with me!

(psst : I am using Georgia font in their honor)

What is your least favorite character in This is Not a Werewolf Story? Vincent.

What is your favorite under-appreciated novel? Hmm. Still chewing on that one. I...

#TomeCon18 skype

March 13, 2018

This is me before the skyperview. I was trying to figure out where the camera was so I didn’t end up talking to my own little picture in the corner for half an hour.

Here are a few questions the students at #TomeCon18 asked me. Since I pretty much talked everyone’s ear off already, I’m limiting myself to one word answers (you know, more or less).

A big thank you to the inspiring and thought-provoking students who showed up to spend time with me!

(psst : I am using Georgia font in their honor)

What is your least favorite character in This is Not a Werewolf Story? Vincent.

What is your favorite under-appreciated novel? Hmm. Still chewing on that one. I...

This is me before the skyperview. I was trying to figure out where the camera was so I didn’t end up talking to my own little picture in the corner for half an hour.

Here are a few questions the students at #TomeCon18 asked me. Since I pretty much talked everyone’s ear off already, I’m limiting myself to one word answers (you know, more or less).

A big thank you to the inspiring and thought-provoking students who showed up to spend time with me!

(psst : I am using Georgia font in their honor)

What is your least favorite character in This is Not a Werewolf Story? Vincent.

What is your favorite under-appreciated novel? Hmm. Still chewing on that one. I...

Raul by a young friend

March 11, 2018

Best part of my job? Other than talking to kids on classroom visits or via Skype, it has to be seeing their artwork.

Best part of my job? Other than talking to kids on classroom visits or via Skype, it has to be seeing their artwork.

TINAWS’ Easter Eggs : A Reader’s Guide

October 7, 2017

If you love medieval French literature, you will discover that I have hidden a lot of ‘easter eggs’ in This is Not a Werewolf Story. For example, the names Bisclavret, Raul, Oliver, and Nicolette. Those are the names of my favorite heroes from my favorite medieval epics and romances. I tried to make my characters share a strong personality trait with their medieval namesakes. So Oliver Swift (the dean) is a man who likes to see the truth, just like Olivier in the 12th century Song of Roland. And Nicolette Tern seems nice enough but don’t push her around because You Will Regret It—just like the heroine of the 12th century Aucassin et Nicolette. Bisclavret is not a werewolf in...

If you love medieval French literature, you will discover that I have hidden a lot of ‘easter eggs’ in This is Not a Werewolf Story. For example, the names Bisclavret, Raul, Oliver, and Nicolette. Those are the names of my favorite heroes from my favorite medieval epics and romances. I tried to make my characters share a strong personality trait with their medieval namesakes. So Oliver Swift (the dean) is a man who likes to see the truth, just like Olivier in the 12th century Song of Roland. And Nicolette Tern seems nice enough but don’t push her around because You Will Regret It—just like the heroine of the 12th century Aucassin et Nicolette. Bisclavret is not a werewolf in...

TINAWS’ Easter Eggs : A Reader’s Guide

October 7, 2017

If you love medieval French literature, you will discover that I have hidden a lot of ‘easter eggs’ in This is Not a Werewolf Story. For example, the names Bisclavret, Raul, Oliver, and Nicolette. Those are the names of my favorite heroes from my favorite medieval epics and romances. I tried to make my characters share a strong personality trait with their medieval namesakes. So Oliver Swift (the dean) is a man who likes to see the truth, just like Olivier in the 12th century Song of Roland. And Nicolette Tern seems nice enough but don’t push her around because You Will Regret It—just like the heroine of the 12th century Aucassin et Nicolette. Bisclavret is not a werewolf in...

If you love medieval French literature, you will discover that I have hidden a lot of ‘easter eggs’ in This is Not a Werewolf Story. For example, the names Bisclavret, Raul, Oliver, and Nicolette. Those are the names of my favorite heroes from my favorite medieval epics and romances. I tried to make my characters share a strong personality trait with their medieval namesakes. So Oliver Swift (the dean) is a man who likes to see the truth, just like Olivier in the 12th century Song of Roland. And Nicolette Tern seems nice enough but don’t push her around because You Will Regret It—just like the heroine of the 12th century Aucassin et Nicolette. Bisclavret is not a werewolf in...