Dear Kids and All Readers, Did you know that there are almost 600,000 people worldwide who are at least 100 years old? And the numbers are expected to climb in the coming decades. How did the longest lived reach this incredible goal? Is that your goal, too? It is mine, so I’ve been doing some…
Dear Readers, During my research for Book 5, Jacaranda Street: Gravestone Image, which involves a mystery wrapped around the nineteenth-century American writer Edgar Allan Poe, I uncovered a fascinating, real-life mystery. If you’re a fan of Poe, you probably know that he died in 1849 at the age of 40. His cause of death is unknown,…
Dear Kids and All Readers, This is the time of year when many of us pause and reflect on the end of another year. The joys and sorrows of 2022 have been washing over me the last two weeks as I holiday shop, send cards, and wrap gifts. Mainly, I am filled with abundant gratitude…
Dear Readers, You know the scene: You attend a holiday gathering and find children you see only this time of year or who are new to you. What do you say to break the ice with the younger set? In Katherine’s article “Beyond ‘You’re So Cute’: Thirty Questions to Ask Little Girls This Holiday Season”…
Hello, Readers, As we get ready for Thanksgiving in the USA, our thoughts increasingly turn to FOOD as we plan the feast: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and . . . Spam? This week, I have found myself thinking about Hawaiian food, including Spam, no doubt in light of Saffron Street: Island Danger, recently released and set…
Dear Readers, Did you see the news today about the “2022 Word of the Year”? It’s been chosen by the U.K.-based Collins Dictionary. In fact, its top ten words of the year have a definite theme: “the ongoing crisis the world is facing.” Some don’t pay much attention to these yearly “contests,” but this year’s…
Dear Kids and All Other Halloween Revelers, Some people do or do not celebrate Halloween for religious reasons. Regardless, many people love Halloween, and I am no exception. Did you know that there are important scientific reasons to celebrate Halloween? Embracing and celebrating scary things in life could compel us to make some beneficial changes…
Hi, All Readers, and Happy October! This month, culminating in Halloween, seems perfect for discussing creepy feelings! One, in particular . . . Have you ever experienced deja vu? That’s French for “already seen”–a perhaps paranormal sensation that you’ve experienced the same exact situation before, even though that’s impossible? If you have, you’re in good company.…
Dear Kids and All Readers, Do you love graham crackers? I do! I have a fond childhood memory of the tasty snack beyond S’mores. Every Easter, my mom would make a yellow cake and slather on thick layers of homemade chocolate frosting. Any leftover frosting was sandwiched between two graham cracker halves for my sisters’…
Dear KIds, Authors, and All Readers, Today, I’d like to share a tidbit from my upcoming Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger. It releases this fall. We authors often borrow from our own real-life experiences to bolster our storytelling. I am no exception. Here is the backstory behind the story: First, the story: In Book 4, Botanic Hill…
