• Steering wheel desk surface for writing in a parked car

    Chalk + Ink Podcast Extras

    Recently, I was a guest on Chalk + Ink podcast with Kate Narita. It’s a podcast for teachers who write. If you aren’t subscribed, I highly recommend it. I’ve been listener for awhile, so it was an honor to be a guest.  Link to the podcast episode I thought…

  • Celebrating 2015

    For the past several years (2012, 2013, 2014), I have kept track of the accomplishments for the year. Last year I kept a monthly celebration page, which I called my “Book of Stars” (I originally posted about that here). This year was particularly challenging for me, which I wrote…

  • How to Survive a Move with Your Creativity Intact

    It’s no secret that we moved this year. I’ve moved a lot in my life, having grown up in Thailand and Malaysia, and moving multiple times in my adult life. But this one was different. This time I said good bye to a place I’d lived in longer than…

  • Best of 2014: Most Popular Posts

    Looking back over 2014, I wanted to take note of my most popular posts on my blog. It helps me see what posts are most helpful to my readers. The shocking thing for me was that all of the most frequently read pages of 2014 were actually posts I…

  • Ode to Scrivener

    Writer friends often hear me talk about my love for Scrivener. In fact, on several Facebook writing groups, I profess my love for Scrivener often. Here’s the thing, I still haven’t mastered Scrivener, but I’m overwhelmed with the sheer possibilities that it offers. What do I use Scrivener for? Blog…

  • Picture Book Status Updates

    I’ve been involved with Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Picture Book Challenge for 2 years. In that time, I’ve written, revised, revised, revised, and revised. However, I realized recently that I have a ton of different picture books, all at different stages, and I really needed to get a handle on…

  • Mentor Text Marketing

    I have a new mentor text article that just came out in the SCBWI Bulletin. It’s called “Mentor Text Marketing: Getting Your Book into the Hands of Young Writers and Their Teachers.” If you are an SCBWI member, you can access the article online. For mentor text article links,…

  • Picture Book Challenges: Get Ready to Run

      If you are a picture book writer, there are many places you could hang out to find your picture book tribe. One of them is in Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 group. The challenge is to write one picture book draft per month. This year, you have to pay for…

  • What’s New in 2014

    January is an exciting time—a time for new things. So on this blog, there will be some new things rolling out in 2014. Here are some of the things I have planned. For Teachers  Teacher Useletter I am introducing my useletter for teachers. I will include links to things…

  • 12×12 in 12 Blog Party–12 Resources for the Picture Book Writer

      It’s time to celebrate a completed (or almost completed) 12 x 12 in ’12 picture book challenge. To celebrate, I’m posting 12 resources for picture book writers. 1. Rob Sanders’ blog–Check out Rob’s site. He often posts good writing tips for picture books writers and this year has…