I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write stories, but it took me a ridiculously long time to realize that I wanted to become a professional writer for children. I write picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction, often about neurodiverse kids and mental health.
I hold an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults and also a Masters in Children’s Literature from Simmons University. I have taught literature and creative writing in every grade from second through college, and I currently work with fourth and fifth graders, who let me go on and on about my favorite books. They call me their own personal book nerd and I don’t mind one bit.
I live in Boston with my husband Mark and two sons, Eli and Caleb, plus our labradoodle, Quimby (and yes, she’s named for Ramona), and guinea pigs Frisky and Sprinkles.
Reporting for Cynsations
In 2019, I joined the staff of Cynthia Leitich-Smith’s world-renowned children’s literature blog Cynsations. For almost twenty years, Cynsations has been the pre-eminent resource for all things picture book, middle-grade, and young adult publishing.
In October of 2021, I sat down (via Zoom) with six powerhouse in the industry - A. S. King, Jason Reynolds, Francisco X. Stork, Bill Konigsberg, and Cory McCarthy - to discuss how writing about mental health saves lives. Click the button below to read the transcript of that conversation on the Cynsations website.
For additional interviews that talk about neurodiversity or mental health on Cynsations, click here!
Drop me a line using the contact form. I can’t wait to hear from you!
~Rebecca