In a past author Q & A, I was asked what inspired me to write Bedlam Bewitched. Good question. Normally, I consider myself more of a plot-driven writer. I start with a general idea for a story and begin writing from there. But in Bedlam, the character came first—Cory Smyth, my plucky, witchy FMC. Cory […]
This past December, I attended an excellent presentation on Painless Plot Pointers given by David Macinnis Gill. David is the author of young adult and middle grade novels and has taught plot structure for the MFA program at Vermont College. In his workshop, David walked us through the new Three Act plot structure. The traditional […]
For Valentine’s Day, I’m running a limited-time sweetheart sale of Bedlam Bewitched. For three days only from Friday, February 13th through Sunday, February 15th, 2026, you can purchase my book at a special discount price. Looking for an escapist teen fantasy with a side of cozy mystery and romance? In Bedlam Bewitched, a teenage witch […]
The turn of a New Year offers time to reflect back and look forward. I’m not much for resolutions, but I do set writing goals for the coming year. Looking back, my writing goal for 2025 was to complete a first draft of my novel-in-progress. I didn’t quite get there, but I did make significant […]
For the past several years, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair has been on my holiday radar. I first spotted it while researching Bay Area outings for when my guests visit over the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, the timing never worked out. The fair closes the weekend before Christmas, and my guests arrive a few days later. […]
My book is part of this year’s #SCBWIBookStop! Visit my page to read more, browse, and snag a copy! Explore the full site at scbwi.org/bookstop/ for more books for children and teens.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended Oktoberfest 2025—a local writing conference presented by the San Franciso North & East Bay chapter of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Every other year, on the third Saturday of October, my regional SCBWI branch organizes this one-day in-person event. The conference features an inspirational […]
I’ve just returned from a 10-day trip to England. I’m still fighting the jetlag, but the trip was fabulous. We spent seven days in London, then took day trips to Cambridge, Bath, and the Cotswolds. I hadn’t visited England in decades, not since I was a college student on a term abroad. Long ago, I’d […]
A few years back, when attending a writer’s conference, I signed up for a group pitch session with a literary agent. I had a complete and polished manuscript and had honed a pitch. From prior experience (albeit years earlier), I assumed the pitch would consist of genre, word count, and the back cover teaser. When […]
To celebrate my IPPY award win, I’m running a first-ever, limited-time sale of Bedlam Bewitched. For three days only from Friday, August 15th through Sunday, August 17th, 2025, you can purchase my book at special discount prices. Purchase the eBook for $2.99 (List price $4.99) in this Amazon KDP Countdown Deal. I’m offering the paperback […]
