Friend Friday

I met today’s guest, Michele Bacon, at the spring Inside Story at University Bookstore, Bellevue. (For you local folks, find more about Inside Story here.) There, she introduced us to her first novel, Life Before (Sky Pony Press) which is about a kid who has to run away to find himself. It sounded pretty darned… Read more »

Friend Friday

Like Jo Knowles, I am hopeful that our paths will one day (and soon!) cross in real time and space. Till then, I must content myself with visiting with her through her thought-provoking books, including her newest (just published onTuesday!), Still a Work in Progress (Candlewick). Hi Kirby! Thank you so much for having me for… Read more »

Friend Friday

I met Sandy Evans back in May at event sponsored by the Western Washington SCBWI called Inside Story. I loved the back story about her book, This is Not a Werewolf Story (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)  so asked if she’d be my Friend Friday guest — and I was thrilled when she agreed. Honestly,… Read more »

Throwback Thursday

Thirty four years ago, this charmer entered our lives and now she’s the mom to two darling daughters herself! Her first grade passion for chapter books led me to write the manuscript that became my first published book. She is the epitome of kind and brave, and, thankfully, she’s forgiven me for all the dorky… Read more »

Friend Friday

I am always amazed at the generosity of my writing friends, both with their willingness to share thoughts here on my blog, and with making a difference in the larger community. Nanci Turner Steveson is one of those folks, having launched The Literacy for Hope Project, dedicated to getting books to the homeless. Today, however, she is… Read more »

Friend Friday

This is the second time Elana K. Arnold has been a Friend Friday guest; the first was for her book The Question of Miracles (HMH for Young Readers) and I dearly hope she will grace this blog many, many more times. When I began writing Far from Fair (HMH Books for Young Readers), I imagined it… Read more »

Friend Friday

  Please welcome the prolific (nineteen novels!) Karen Rivers to my blog today to celebrate her newest book, The Girl in the Well is Me (Algonquin Books for Young Readers) which School Library Journal called “compulsively readable) and which has its book birthday on March 15. People often ask me where I get my ideas and… Read more »

Friend Friday

It is an honor to host Hannah Barnaby today, in celebration of the publication of her second book, Some of the Parts (Knopf). I am grateful that she shared a bit about this deeply personal book with us because what she shared has me really thinking. Unlikeable On February 16th, I celebrated the release of… Read more »

Friend Friday

I’ve mentioned before how much I love the internet: it has brought me friends I’ve never met in real life/time. That includes the charming and enthusiastic Tracey Baptiste who has the most engaging video about her school presentations (note to self: be a teacher in your prior life). I am so honored to host Tracey,… Read more »

Throwback Thursday

My mother in law, Carolyn “Kelly” Larson, passed away a few weeks ago; her memorial service is this Saturday. So I’ve been thinking a lot about her. She was a child of the Depression, growing up on a poultry farm in northern Washington state. She was expected to pitch in and help — no free… Read more »