A big thank you for voting on the cover of Sita and the Prince of Tigers. Of course I was on pins and needles waiting for the decision to be made. Although I thought both were fabulous, I felt the one chosen more clearly represented the core of the book, as well as...

Please help me by voting!

My truth about spring is that I wish it would never end. I’d like to see a full twelve months of spring and here’s the reason why. It’s just more beautiful. Way more beautiful. I live in Southern California and the hills around us are brown nearly all the year. But...

I’ve never been one for getting up early—willingly, that is—at least not for the kind of day that is like every other day. It we are birding internationally, and the guide says we will need to leave the lodge at 4:30 am, I don’t have any trouble getting up at all....

The primary election in California is happening today, but I’ve already voted, and here’s the acknowledgement that I did.  Of course, I voted—I always do. I’ve voted in every election ever since I was a child. “What are you talking about?” you ask. “Children don’t...

When I taught children’s literature (either classic or modern), I always took a survey the first day. I asked what books had already been read that were favorites, and then we talked about why the students had been drawn to these particular books and why they...

My grandmother’s favorite brother was my Great-uncle Tom. They were very close in age and, living on the isolated range in Nevada, had probably made the siblings emotionally closer, as well. They saw friends and relatives from other ranches occasionally, but usually...

I see your tears
I feel your fears
I weep
. . .

My favorite classes in high school were always English classes. Reading assignments meant I could earnestly say (when my mother reminded me that I hadn’t practiced the piano yet), “I can’t do it right now. I’ve got to do my English assignment. We’re having a quiz on...

In a way, I was “writing” stories when I was a kid. The only thing was, those stories were not being written down. I merely imagined them, and when I finished thinking about what would happen (the “plot points” as it were) and how the story should end, that was it....