April 16, 2024

I was blessed with another school author visit, this time in person at Holmes Elementary School in San Diego, CA.

You may remember Oliver J. from last month’s Events. He read my Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets and did his cereal box book report on it.

I had so much fun meeting him, his second- and third-grade classmates, their teacher, Ms. Pope, and seeing their cereal box book reports up close!

The students were so bright and did their part to complete a “create a detective” activity I led. I couldn’t stump them with my riddles, and they asked advanced questions.

I received lovely thank-you letters from the students! They displayed many language arts skills, and the kids’ gratitude was heartwarming. There are certainly current and future authors in this class!

What a successful, fun hour! Thanks, Oliver’s mom for facilitating this visit, Ms. Pope for inviting me, Oliver for reading my book and choosing to use it for your book report, and all your classmates. Keep reading, everyone!

(Photos by Ms. Pope and the Author)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 9, 2024

I was thrilled today to return to the fifth-grade classroom of one of my biggest teacher fans, Ms. Alfano from Shoemaker Elementary School in Macungie, PA. This was my fourth virtual school author visit in three years to her room!

What a smart group of students. They had read my Jacaranda Street: Gravestone Image, and had lots of excellent questions for me. We also talked about my character Rani Kumar’s and my mental superpower, lexical-gustatory synesthesia. I had sent their teacher a list of what their names made Rani and me taste or smell.

You might remember the girl standing at the screen, asking me a question. It’s Elise from a previous Event post where she was holding one of my books.

I received some lovely gifts from the teacher and students: a beautiful author nameplate, a sweet note, and an adorable Get a Clue bag. So thoughtful!

Thank you to Ms. Alfano, her teaching partner Ms. Beky, and all their amazing students! I had a wonderful time. I think all of them did, too.

(Photos by Ms. Beky and the Author)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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March 26, 2024

Good news! I have the honor of doing an Author Takeover on Facebook’s “Cozy Mystery Party” site on Tuesday, March 26.

Please tune in at 5 p.m., PT, for this fun, fast-paced question-and-answer format event! I will be talking about my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries, Books 1-5, and introducing Book 6, which releases this fall.

To participate, you must first request to join HERE. It’s easy, and you’ll enjoy this friendly group of cozy mystery writers and readers!

Thanks, Heather Doyle Harrisson, site admin, for the invitation.

I hope you see all of you there!

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March 25, 2024

A round of applause for “Oliver J.,” third grader at Holmes Elementary School in San Diego, California!

Oliver’s mother informed me that Oliver not only read my Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, but used it to inspire his cereal-box book report!

Awesome, Oliver! And I look forward to meeting you and your classmates at your school during my author visit on April 16.

Thanks so much, Oliver and his mom, and keep on reading!

(Photo by Oliver’s Mom)

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March 3 through 9, 2024

Ebook readers, here comes Smashwords.com’s  “Read an Ebook Week Sale,” from March 3 through 9.

All five of my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries ebooks will be on sale for 75% off for that week!

You can purchase my Books 1, 2, and 3 for only $1.00 each; Book 4 for only $1.25; and, Book 5 for only $1.50 by clicking HERE starting March 3. Look for the Sale. Then, click on “Children’s Books” under the “Fiction” category. My books will be in the 75% off section.

Here’s your chance to get caught up with the detectives before Book 6 launches this coming fall. Thank you!

(Graphic Credit: smashwords.com)

February 7 and 9, 2024

 

Thank you, Ms. Mary Kaplan, Ms. Hannah Wang, and your third graders at Oak View Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland; and, Ms. Becky Swanson, Ms. Buka Akiti, and your fifth graders at Prospect School in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, for inviting me into your media centers to read to the students for World Read Aloud Day (WRAD)!

I enjoyed meeting the students, reading aloud from my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, and answering the kids’ questions.

I hope to see you again next year for WRAD. And you other educators and students, too!

(Graphics Credits:  Books Ad by Sherrill Joseph. WRAD Ad by litworld.org)

January 26, 2024