Welcome to my website
Sights from the unfolding spring: Leafed-out trees sneak new shawls of shade over yards and trails. Carpenter bees buzz in and out of their round openings in a neighbor's split-rail fence. Bunnies re-appear to threaten my newly planted petunias.
April brings observances of fun stuff. To wit: American Circus Day (April 3); Jump Over Things Day (April 6); Day of the Mushroom (April 16); International Jugglers Day (April 18); and National Day of Puppetry (April 26).
And is it just coincidence that National Gin and Tonic Day is immediately followed by National Alcohol Screening Day (April 9 and 10)? Or that Love Your Thighs Day and Scream Day occur simultaneously (April 24)?
Welp, April is also National Poetry Month, International Guitar Month, and, of course, National Fresh Celery Month.
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Good news on the book front: My new nonfiction project is at the printer and should be out next month! I'll share details, a cover preview, and links for pre-ordering as soon as I get the go-ahead from my publisher. I'm thrilled to have this project on the very near horizon.
Let's see, what else? My unending quest to create an ideal garden. I've been learning more about native plants and, as a result, I've become more tolerant of little green volunteers I used to think of as weeds. I'm planning to include more natives in the garden. But that doesn't mean non-natives will be banished. (Except English ivy, of course. Out, out, invasive vine!) Caring for the garden has become a passion of mine. There is something soothing about having my hands in the dirt, something heart-lifting about watching my plants bloom and grow anew every year. My favorites are the ones gifted to me by friends -- shared bounty to be treasured. In challenging times, it's great to have a high-maintenance garden.
Not long ago, I had the privilege of teaching Writing for Children through Duke University's OLLI program. It was my first time teaching adults, an entirely different challenge from teaching schoolkids. Like their young counterparts, though, the grown-up students were a joy to work with.
Anyway, please check in here now and then, look around, see what's new.
Read excerpts from three of my books. You can reach them with the links at left.
Get to know me through my bio. Hint: Books and literacy are big parts of who I am and what I do.
Comb through my archive of bite-size Writing Tips. You'll find practical advice on punctuation, word use, story structure, character development, time management, and more. The Tips are organized by category, so you can easily find what you're looking for.
Contact me. Ask me questions about writing, publishing, or anything else.
Let me know if you're looking for a conference presentation. I love to visit schools, libraries, and community groups, in person or virtually. I had the opportunity a few years ago, during grad school at N.C. State University, to present at several academic conferences, a whole other world. All of which is to say, I am back in circulation, experienced at speaking to a range of audiences, and available for engagements.
The same goes for my editing services. I offer several levels of editing: Developmental, to work out big-picture issues in your story; Line Editing, to make the most effective use of your words; Copy Editing, to get the details right; and Proofreading, when you're self-publishing and ready to go to press. If you're looking for a freelance editor, contact me any time and I will be happy to answer your questions so you can decide if I'm the right editor for your project.
This is probably so obvious I don’t even need to say it, but … everything on this site is under copyright. Feel free to link to my site — new guests are always welcome. But before you copy or distribute any part of this material, ask me for permission.
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A few tidbits I want to share that don't quite fit anywhere else on this site:
I had a great time at the Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. back in August. North Carolina Humanities chose Bountiful Red Acres: Two Farms, Two Families, and a Year on the Land, my book about Piedmont farm life, as its 2024 Great Read for children. Illustrator Dare Coulter and I, along with some N.C. Humanities folks, talked with visitors to our booth and handed out some great swag. The year's Great Read for adults was Those We Thought We Knew by David Joy, a gripping, thoughtful book that I highly recommend.
More good news: The American Library Association named Bountiful Red Acres a Notable Government Document of 2023, the only juvenile title among the ten Notables.
North Carolina's Department of Natural and Cultural Resources published my book (which is why the ALA considers it a Government Document), in association with the N.C. African American Heritage Commission. The story follows the Hauser and Sawyers families through the year 1900, as they farm their patch of earth in Surry County, a site now known as Horne Creek Living Historical Farm. You can order Bountiful Red Acres from UNC Press, your local independent bookstore (mine is Quail Ridge Books), or Amazon. It's written for third- to eighth-graders, or for anyone who's interested in what it was like growing up on a farm at the turn of the 20th century.
I am thrilled and incredibly grateful to have my work chosen for both of these honors. Thank you, N.C. Humanities and ALA!
And if you're a teacher and would like to use Bountiful in the classroom, DNCR has you covered. Check out this teacher guide with suggestions for learning activities across disciplines.
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Again, thanks for stopping by. Show yourself around. I want this to be a place where we can meet, communicate, and continue to share the joys of books and reading.