My friends, I am filled with love for all of you! And because I am in such a loving mood, I am going to give one of you an incredible gift: a signed first edition of Cynthia Levinson‘s The Youngest … Continue reading →

Happy December, friends! I’m taking off for a couple of weeks, and was trying to think of a worthwhile post to mark the end of this very difficult, very strange, and sometimes wonderful year. And then my teenager asked me … Continue reading →

Hey, San Antonio area friends! Last year, along with hilarious author James Kennedy, I had the great pleasure of hosting the first ever 90-Second Newbery film festival for San Antonio. (It was terrifying – I didn’t realize when I agreed … Continue reading →

The Big Event in Texas every fall for book lovers is the Texas Book Festival. This year, I had the great pleasure of presenting at the Texas State Library and Archive’s first ever Author Summit, a kick-off event for the … Continue reading →

Last week, I was away from the page for a few days, teaching writing workshops and presenting at an amazing library and school on the Texas coast. I promised pictures from the visit to Galveston, but I was having so … Continue reading →

Howdy, writer and reader friends! I hope your fall is going as gangbusters as mine. I’m writing so fast and so long my fingers ache by 5 pm, and I wake up and race for the keyboard… it’s definitely my … Continue reading →

Happy day, reader friends! I hope your October is off to a great start. Can you believe it’s FALL already? Anyone out there besides me thinking about doing NaNoWriMo next month? (I’m planning to lie down and see if the … Continue reading →

Years ago, when I came to one of my very first SCBWI meetings in Austin (long before I had a finished book), I met a group of talented writers, some of whom became critique buddies and friends. One of those … Continue reading →

  I am utterly delighted to welcome to my blog today my friend, fellow Texas Sweetheart, and debut Middle Grade author, Christina Soontornvat. I had the great pleasure of reading her novel, The Changelings, long before the incredibly clever folks … Continue reading →

Hello, Writer and Reader Friends! I spent the last hour reading an incredible bundle of thank you letters from a class in Chicago I Skyped with a few weeks back. Their letters were wonderful to read, especially since the whole … Continue reading →