The query letter for my middle-grade novel, The Elephant Tree, was featured on Amy Trueblood’s Quite the Query this week. Most writers agree that writing a succinct summary of an entire book in a one-page query letter is hard work. Whole blogs (my favorite of course being Query Shark!) are devoted to the fine art of writing queries that will catch an agent’s eye. But the thing I love about Quite the Query is that it shares real queries that landed an offer of representation.

And if you’d like to read more about my journey to signing with the lovely Jennie Dunham of Dunham Lit, check out my “Getting the Call” story on The Winged Pen.

Thanks for having me, Amy! And if you’re currently in the query trenches, hang in there. I know how tough it is (did you see the part where I queried FOUR manuscripts before I got an agent). Don’t lose hope. If you keep doing the work, you’ll find your way!

This week, I blogged over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors about some of the fabulous middle grade books I read over the holiday. I didn’t mention all the great YA I read, but let it be known that I visited with both Grisha and Raven Boys over the two week break as well. This week it’s back to work, but I miss my cozy reading holiday!

This week, I’m over at From the Mixed-Up Files talking with debut author Lisa Lewis Tyre about tackling tough topics with middle-grade readers. Her middle-grade novel, Last in a Long Line of Rebels is stunning. Check it out!

As the amazing Elissa Cruz moves on to new adventures, four contributors to From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors have stepped up to fill her big beautiful shoes and lead the blog. I’m pleased to announce that I am one of those four. I’m both honored to take on a bigger role and excited to do even more to spread the word about middle-grade books and readers.

I’m so excited to be a 2015 Pitch Wars mentee! This month, my middle-grade fantasy, QUEST FOR THE KALEVALA, was chosen by middle-grade author Juliana Brandt for Pitch Wars. What does this mean? For the next two months, Juliana and I will work together on revisions so that I can present my work to a panel of all-star agents in November. I’m thrilled, honored, excited, and rolling up my sleeves, ready to get to work!

I am beyond excited to finally announce a little project I’ve been working on with the amazing Valerie Stein and Mark Holtzen: Gather Here, Pacific Northwest History for Young People. We hope to support efforts in the education system to bring more local history into the classroom by telling stories aimed at a third to fifth grade audience. What better way to learn about my new home than through researching local history.

Checkout my nonfiction middle grade story about the Great Fire in Seattle. This one was a lot of fun to put together as someone who is not local. I even got to take a field trip to learn more! You can read more of my writing at Books, Essays, and Stories.

You can read more on Valerie‘s and Mark‘s blogs.

Our SCBWI Annual Conference took place over this past weekend right here in Redmond. It was a weekend of inspiration and community. Once again, I am so thankful to be a part of the amazing writing community here in Western Washington. As much as I loved our time in Finland, living in a place where I can meet face-to-face with writers on a regular basis is amazing.

One of the great things about our recent repatriation is the wealth of conferences, festivals, and other book- and writing-related events available in the Western Washington region. So I was thrilled to attend Western Washington University’s 2015 Children’s Literature Festival in Bellingham, Washington in February.

I shared some moments of inspiration in my Love-Letter to Children’s Books over on From the Mixed-Up Files.