Random 2026 Updates!
Being that 2026 is almost behind us, I figured I should get around to filling you in on what’s been going on.
The year started off with a bang. In January, The Star of Moon Village made its debut into the world. Being true to form, I didn’t throw any kind of release party. Just posted my thoughts and thanks on my socials.
That’s just how I roll.
I also marked the occasion with a blog post, "Don't Forget the Lights", that appeared in the Teen Librarian Toolbox. Later, I had a Q&A interview posted on Deborah Kalb’s blog. A couple months after that, I enjoyed a fun chat with Annisha Jeffries on her Reading in the Middle podcast.
In terms of my day-to-day life, with the new year came my second semester teaching English as a Second Language at a local technical college. Now it's autumn, semester number three, and I finally feel like I know what I’m doing.
As for in-person author appearances, in February I took part in North Dover Elementary School’s Black History Month Celebration, and in March I attended the Lititz KidLit Fest in Pennsylvania, debuting my Birds & Stars presentation. In the summer, I gave a new and improved version of my Birds & Stars presentation to a kids’ book club that meets at a library in a neighboring town. Rounding it out were book events at two wonderful local libraries where I got to chat with visitors and sell a few books!
While all this was going on, I’ve also been trying to write a new novel. Well, not new. It’s one that’s been written and re-written numerous times. On this go-around, I’m making such major changes that it’s like starting from scratch, even if the characters are basically the same. It’s set in Germany, by the way.
I’ve also hopped back into birding. I met a really cool kid named Quentin from my area who is such an inspiration. He’s already far surpassed me in terms of birding cred (I mean, he’s even birded in Central America!). He's also been very active in getting young people into birding. He and his mother Ashley are wonderful representatives of the birding community.
So what’s next? Well, I need to finish my new novel and get it to my agent. She’s seen pieces and is loving it so far, so I’m really hoping I’ll stick the landing and that this will be a project she thinks is marketable.
I’m also edging closer and closer to making school visits part of my author life. I’ve sent out postcards to 25 local schools and have already received an inquiry. I’d love to book a few visits for Spring 2027.
Oh, one last thing! How could I forget the really big thing that happened!? The Star of Moon Village was named an NEA Read Across America pick! It’ll be the featured middle grade book for February 2027.
Okay, that’s it for now. Thanks for reading! And if you’ve read Bird Nerd or The Star of Moon Village and posted a nice review, thanks so much for your support! Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more updated news, videos, and so forth!
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