February 4, 2017
In part 1, I talked about how writing for a young-adult audience can be challenging, especially given that I graduated high school thirty years ago. This […]
February 4, 2017
When I began seriously pursuing writing as a career, I didn’t intend to write for young adults. My book, A WORK OF ART, was originally aimed […]
November 15, 2016
Writers spend a lot of time on character and plot, which of course are very important, but remember that your story will be boring without CONFLICT. […]
October 14, 2016
As a writer, I loathe setting the scene. I’ve literally spent hours going over the same few paragraphs to make sure I “got it right,” only […]
May 9, 2016
I write for teens, so it’s important that I stay in touch with my teenage self. It would help if I had teenage children (my son […]
May 2, 2016
My author visit fees are very competitive. If you’re interested in having me visit your high school, college, or book group, please contact me and I’ll […]
April 12, 2016
Did you know that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)? I didn’t until my sister got involved in Safe Passage, an organization that helps prevent […]
March 28, 2016
As a novelist for young adults, I spend a lot of time trying to recapture the emotions I had in high school. For me, there wasn’t […]
February 29, 2016
I write edgy fiction for young adults. Real issues. Real problems. So why are my favorite books steeped in fantasy? I’ve always been an avid reader. […]
January 25, 2016
I recently had the honor to sit on the First-Books Panel at the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Florida Regional Conference, and while it […]
October 10, 2015
1. In the book’s opening paragraph, Tera says that painting her dad is “all about mood.” What mood does the author create in describing this painting? […]
May 30, 2015
People have asked me how hard it was to write about child sexual abuse in A Work of Art. It’s a touchy subject—raw and often shameful […]