MIRA FORECASTS THE FUTURE (illustrated by Lissy Marlin) and THE BOT THAT SCOTT BUILT (by Kim Norman, illustrated by Agnese Beruzzi) will be read to kids at B&N stores nationwide on August 20.
Find an event near you at Barnes & Noble, or select your store and the date to find a story time with Mira and Scott.
I wish I could visit Barnes & Nobles across the country, but Mira actually can! I’m excited to reveal that MIRA FORECASTS THE FUTURE will be a Barnes & Noble National Story Time on August 20. 
Every Saturday at 11 am, Barnes & Noble hosts a story time for kids with the picture book or book of the week. MIRA FORECASTS THE FUTURE (illustrated by Lissy Marlin) and THE BOT THAT SCOTT BUILT (by Kim Norman, illustrated by Agnese Beruzzi) will be read to kids at B&N stores nationwide on August 20.
Find an event near you at Barnes & Noble, or select your store and the date to find a story time with Mira and Scott.
I’ll be celebrating the launch of MIRA FORECASTS THE FUTURE at several upcoming events.
First I’ll be talking about books with Nahjee Grant on an upcoming episode of his show On the Rise. Nahjee is an author, speaker, and philanthropist. The episode will air on Radnor TV and post on YouTube.
Next, please join me at a bookstore or library event!
Tuesday, June 14, 4 PM
Children’s Book World
Haverford, PA
Philadelphia friends and readers, celebrate release day for MIRA with me.
Saturday, July 2, 11:30 AM
Booktowne
Manasquan, NJ
Come to story time and launch for Jersey Shore friends and readers.
Thursday, July 14, 6:30 PM
Penn Wynne Library
Wynnewood, PA
Pajama story time at my home library — now newly renovated!
Today is the one-year anniversary of the publication of my middle-grade novel Deadwood. I’ve sold books, but not as many as I wish I had. I’ve gotten some incisive reviews and honors, and been bypassed as well. I’ve met readers, and every single meeting has been a privilege. I’ve written new words and submitted new works (still waiting!). I’ve started drafts and abandoned them. I’ve gotten a contract for my debut picture book, Mira Tells the Future, and I’ve been awed by the illuminating, imaginative sketches I’ve seen. I’ve made new friends and lost others. I’ve worked my day job. I’ve raised my daughters. I’ve been a wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I’ve tried to figure out what it means to be a writer even though it’s not everything I once dreamed of.
It’s bittersweet — the good with bad, accomplishments with losses, milestones achieved and time gone forever. The publishing journey is long, but it’s not lonely because of my friends, family, and readers. I’ve learned that I have to make 
my own high points and celebrate each one.
That’s why this month I published The Mermaid Game: A summer short story (DIY high point!), 99 cents for Kindle and free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. And if you haven’t read Deadwood, it’s only $2.99 for Kindle and in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your favorite independent retailer, or a library near you.
Thank you for supporting me over the past year and all the years before. And thanks for making this a high point for me.
I’ll be appearing at the Penn Wynne Elementary Book Fair on Monday, October 20, in Wynnewood, PA. Looking forward to meeting readers and parents!
I had a fantastic visit at Penn Wynne Library August 19, 6:30 p.m. I love speaking with young readers, especially in the area which inspired Deadwood. I especially enjoyed previewing a new story I’ve written — and of course, the Corner Bakery cookies. Thanks to all the readers, Corner Bakery, and children’s librarian Alison King.
Deadwood, my middle-grade mystery fantasy debut, is out from Spencer Hill Press today! What a great feeling — exhilaration, anxiety, the realization of a long-held dream.
But wait… this feeling is so familiar. Is it deja vu?
Not quite. It’s Debut Redux.
My kids’ contemporary fantasy was released by a small press which went out of business, and now it’s being re-released by the innovative, risk-taking folks at Spencer Hill Middle Grade, including my wonderful editor Jennifer Carson. I hold deep gratitude for the writers, family, and friends who supported me throughout the process.The story of how I got here is a long and twisty one, but I like the ending.
Or is this beginning?
Either way, some things are better the second time around.
Order on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, Powell’s, or from your favorite independent bookstore, including Children’s Book World and Paperback Exchange.
Sometimes a lucky ritual becomes a curse.
Seventh-grader Martin Cruz hates his rotten new town, Lower Brynwood, but with his mom fighting a war in Afghanistan, he has no other choice but to live with his crazy aunt. Then he gets a message from a tree telling him it’s cursed—and so is he.
It’s not just any tree either, it’s the Spirit Tree, an ancient beech the football team carves for good luck before the season opener. But every year they lose.
Now the Spirit Tree is dying, and the other trees in the park are toppling around it like dominoes. The town is plagued with unexplainable accidents and people begin to fade, drained of life.
Martin must team up with a know-it-all soccer star, Hannah Vaughan, if he has any chance of breaking the curse. If they fail to save the Spirit Tree, it could mean the destruction of Lower Brynwood and a permanent case of bad luck.
I have a whirlwind blog tour this week with giveaways to celebrate the launch of Deadwood June 24! Here’s the schedule:
On Saturday, May 31, I went to Book Expo America 2014 for the first time. The Javits Center is a huge place, and the experience is a bit overwhelming. Thus the only picture on my phone is this one:
Spencer Hill founder Kate Kaynak took this of me with Laura Diamond, author of The Zodiac Collector, before our joint signing.
But through the magic of social media, it is not the only photo of me. I show up, Where’s Waldo-like, in the background of quite a few other photos. For example, Laura was more diligent about recording the event for a post on YAtopia, and she took this:
You can see how much fun it was to sign books — a huge honor to meet so many blogger and readers who attended the BookCon, and wonderful to connect in person with my editor Jennifer Carson and publicist Damaris Cardinali.
And here’s one of my favorites, taken by Karen Chaplin @CapChapReads:
That’s me in the middle of the huge crowd at the #WeNeedDiverseBooks panel — such excitement in the room. I finally met some of the originators of the campaign. The event has been covered widely and well, and I managed to live tweet some of the event, covered in a separate post.
Thanks for the great experience to all I met.
Am I ready for Book Expo America? I’ve been waiting for this moment a long time, so in one sense I’m ready, but I’m not sure that I’m ready ready. How hard is it hop a train and sign a few copies of Deadwood at the Javits Center on May 31st? Not hard, and yet I’m afraid I’ll miss something.
It occurs to me that I haven’t really planned out much at all except when I’m supposed to be there, and that makes me nervous. But it’s about books, right? Reading, writing, buying, talking about books with readers, writers, publishing folks, and book buyers. I do that every day. I can do that on Saturday. I think.
I hope to see you on Saturday, May 31st, 1 pm at Spencer Hill, Booth 2567 –– or if you see me, flag me down from across the Javits Center.. You will make my day.
Now I better check the train schedule again…