The first in a series inviting you into the secret spots where we writers and illustrators work on our craft in solitude. Stop by here each Thursday to peek into another private space. It never fails. When I settle down to write, my dear husband rushes to my sde, asking, “Honey, are you all right?” I don’t blame him. [...]

Authors are imaginary mentors and real support.

Goodness, we’ve swept past Halloween and are pushing toward Thanksgiving. Time! Where does it go? I’ve been flitting up and down the east coast presenting sessions at various NCTM state and regional conferences, receiving accolades by insisting that, even during math class, “If we’re going to introduce children to a book, we have the responsibility [...]

I once had the good fortune to open a letter and discover that award winning author, Jerry Spinelli, was to be my mentor at a writer’s conference. I was thrilled- certain that I had been assigned this amazing author because of my own literary brilliance and couldn’t wait to hear his praise of the first ten [...]

A cousin recently shared with me a literary treasure: the complete archives of The Weekly, a newspaper her mother Flora and a friend wrote and distributed from September through November of 1936. Flora and Mary were the sole proprietors, reporters, editors, and publishers.  Their writing is honest, straightforward and completely charming.   Both were about [...]

Don’t we all love to create?  Writers have to love the process of creating.  They have to sit down all by themselves day after day (or night) and type words to create a novel.  This may take a year.  When you think of it taking a year it can become a bit daunting, especially when [...]