I’ve had several friends and co-workers ask me lately how I feel about turning 40. And the truth is that I feel good. Not jumping for joy ecstatic happiness, but I feel comfortable and cozy about it. I’ve been thinking about it for the past year and getting used to the idea that I will …

Have you ever really put thought into your day and recorded how you spend your time? On New Year’s Day 2018, I did just that. I was intentional in how I spent my day, hoping that it could perhaps set the tone for the year ahead. I made time for each member of my family. …

My spouse and I re-watched a film over the weekend, “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” We sat down to soak it in again after we saw the sequel in the theater. In it a line by main character and mentor Colin Firth was said to a rookie kingsman in training Taron Egerton. The phrase really struck …

I recently had the privilege of speaking to a group of 50 teachers for the National Writing Project conference at the University of West Florida. I delivered an hour long presentation on my writing background and experiences writing as a child. In addition, I shared how I came to write the book Kazoo Makes the …

I woke up this morning feeling light-headed, dizzy and nauseous.  After I took my first few steps, my legs gave out and I ran into the dresser. Not long after that I vomited. Then I repeated the throw up cycle two more times. This was not exactly how I wanted to spend Mother’s Day. As …

How does a writer like me re-energize and stay inspired to keep writing? The answer to that changes daily. But today my inspiration came from a whole room full of people, mostly educators dedicating time on a Saturday to help promote writing and reading among the youth in our community.  It was a humbling, amazing …

Leave it to another kids’ film to have a great life lesson, something simple that we all know but need a reminder about – happiness. The DreamWorks’ Trolls movie tackles subjects like loss, disappointment, fear, lack of self confidence and more in a fun sing-along feature.  One particular troll, Branch, is the unhappy one among the …

I have been thinking about the importance of reading the past few days. As next week is Celebrate Literacy Week in Florida, schools all over the state and in my district are planning activities to engage kids in reading. This makes my soul happy. I wish adults could have a break from the regular work …

Do you listen to music every day? How about multiple times per day? How does it affect your mood? Last week, the music app on my phone popped up and displayed how many hours of music I listened to in 2016. It was an impressive amount. The notice had me thinking about how much I …

Ahh, a New Year…this means a clean slate. New possibilities await. Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Do you set goals at the beginning of a calendar year? I certainly have in the past.   Last year I came up with a word for 2016: Mindfulness.   Although I must admit, it was well past …