Monsters, witches, and ghosts

It’s no secret that I love Halloween. All things spooky and weird that go bump in the night are totally in my wheelhouse. At the same time, I’m picky. I prefer well-crafted creepshows with a bit of heart and/or humor (bonus points for both). So in honor of my favorite holiday, here’s a roundup of…Continue reading Monsters, witches, and ghosts

YA book gift ideas

A school librarian friend was looking for book recommendations for middle-school kids, so I thought I might share some of the YA titles that I liked this year here, too. For the most part, my tastes run to mystery and fantasy/horror, so these might skew a little on the dark/strange/older side. Give them a looksee…Continue reading YA book gift ideas

My favorite books of 2022

For the past seven years, I’ve kept track of every book I read on Goodreads, a handy tool to keep track of authors and series that I’ve enjoyed so I can remember to grab the next installment. (It’s also where I park my enormous To Be Read list.) And of course there’s the stats: the…Continue reading My favorite books of 2022

Three new books I’m excited about

This month, three authors that I admire and respect (and have the good fortune to know personally) have new books out. All three are also moms (happy belated mother’s day!) and write for kids of varying ages, so I’m looking forward to sharing their latest works with my own kids. I’ve read–and loved–just about everything…Continue reading Three new books I’m excited about

Writing a novel in verse

I recently took part in an online writing workshop through the Highlights Foundation: Limitations and Liberations of Writing Verse Novels, taught by author Cordelia Jensen. It was excellent! I adore poetry and have been reading lots of novels in verse (scroll down for recommendations). I thought I might try my hand at writing one…with a…Continue reading Writing a novel in verse