I'm so honored and excited that A Comb of Wishes is a nominee for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Middle Grade Novel​! This is the inaugural year for the middle grade speculative fiction category and it is filled with wonderful dark speculative fiction that speaks to kids' courage and heart. So happy that more readers will find A Comb of Wishes due to this honor. 

The Stoker Award winners will be announced at a gala on June 17, 2023 in Pittsburgh during StokerCon. Good luck to all of the nominees! 

It's been almost a year since the publication of A Comb of Wishes and it's been an amazing ride so far. Thank you to all of the readers, teachers, librarians, and booksellers who have embraced the book!

Now it's time to welcome the PAPERBACK of A Comb of Wishes! If you are in Massachusetts, I welcome you to join me on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 1 pm at Whitelam Books in Reading, MA for a in-person event. I can't wait!

To celebrate the in-person Paperback Book Launch and the one-year publication anniversary of A Comb of Wishes, I am hosting a giveaway.

I have a new educator's guide to share for A Comb of Wishes and I am donating a set of 10 paperback books to one lucky person. This prize is perfect for a book club or for adding to a classroom library.

To enter, please LIKE and SHARE the giveaway post on Twitter or Instagram and enter your details in the Google Form.

​Entries must be submitted by January 22, 2023, 11:59 pm ET. Good luck!

I am thrilled that I'll be able to participate again in World Read Aloud Day!

World Read Aloud Day (or WRAD) will take place on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. 

LitWorld started the event in 2010 to celebrate the power of reading aloud and to advance literacy efforts around the world. In support of this work, many authors and illustrators offer free 15-20 minute virtual read alouds to teachers and classrooms. This year, I have several slots available and would love to read to your students!

My WRAD virtual visit will go something like this: 

• 1-2 minutes: I give a quick introduction & talk a little about my books.
  
• 3-5 minutes: I read aloud a short excerpt from my most recently published book.
  
• 5-10 minutes: I answer a few questions from students about reading/writing
  
• 1-2 minutes: I booktalk a few books that I love (but didn’t write!) as recommendations for the kids
  

Before you sign up, you'll need to be able to provide:

• a contact name
• the name of your school, library, or homeschool group
• a virtual meeting link

Please check your scheduled time carefully. All times are listed in Eastern Time.
​
To sign up, go to my Google Form and choose an available slot.

It's been a wonderful first year for my Little Free Kidlit Library (Charter #106458)! We opened to the world in April 2021 and it has definitely made an impact in the community. 

Local patrons have connected with the mission of the library, to provide diverse books for children by BIPOC creators, and word is spreading about our presence. The library was featured in Publisher's Weekly and the local newspaper, the Boston Compass.

I supply many of the books myself, but I've been thankful for the support of neighbors and other book lovers to provide enough books, including donations purchased at Frugal Bookstore in Nubian Square. Recently, my library was selected for a Read in Color book bundle grant from Little Free Libraries National in partnership with 826 Boston and Candlewick Press.

One thing that hasn't gone as well, the integrity of the beautiful book cover shingled roof that grabbed the attention of so many. You might notice that the library in the picture above looks a little different than last year. Snow, rain, wind, and cold did not treat the decoupaged shingles kindly at all.

So, I'm looking forward to sharing a new process post on the roof that I installed last month. It is full of new book covers (including my own!) and is just as colorful as the original, but weatherproof and durable enough to hold up to New England winters (finger crossed!).

Look for that post soon!