Scars is realeased!

Scars got a starred review from School Library Journal! (May 1st issue) I'm thrilled!

Scars has also been nominated for ALA/YALSA's QuickPicks and Stonewall (lesbian/gay) awards, and for ALA's Rainbow List (GLBTQ books for children and teens). Wow! (beaming)

A percentage of all my profits for Scars will go to the Toronto Rape Crisis Center/Multicultural Women Against Rape and Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN).

Scars, my latest book, is about 15-year-old Kendra, a sexual abuse survivor who can't remember who abused her. When things get tough, she cuts herself to cope--but that only hurts her more. With the help of some people she loves, a good therapist, her art, and a friend who might just become her girlfriend, Kendra is able to face her past and to find healing.

Feed your soul with books

Do you love books? I do. I've always felt that they nurture me, and feed my soul as well as my mind.

Books are a big part of what helped me survive my childhood. They gave me things I desperately needed. Fantasy fiction gave me a way to escape, and helped me to dream. Realistic fiction helped me feel validated and understood, even though my experiences weren't the same as the characters in the books. Books gave me such good feeling, while passing long hours. They gave me hope, let me know that people could be kind, and helped me feel less alone. That's part of why I write--to reach others. I also write because I love to--just as I love to read.

I write both fantasy fiction and realistic fiction, because I love to read both. I try to write what I'd love to read, and to put passion and soul into my writing. I write about painful things, because teens need to know that they're not alone, and I write fantasy, because it's important to dream.

I hope you'll stay and look around.

Do you want to write? Then read my articles and tips on how to write. Or check out my links for writers.

Want to read a book? Download some free classic ebooks. Or check out my links for readers.

If you want to find some great books, read reviews I've written of some of my favorite picture books and teen books.

Do you need a break, or want some fun? Try some of these addictive, enjoyable word games. You can also play some dragon games, or check out some of the craft projects that tie in to my first book, Dragon Speaker: The Last Dragon.

Want to know why I write?

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