Hailey Alcaraz and I celebrated our cover reveals on the KidLit in Color social media last week. Both covers are absolutely adorable, and I pray readers will love our characters and all of the thought, love, and care we put into these books. Five Days At The Hotel Adams and The Four Seasons of Florence Wallace were both illustrated by the talented Alisha Monnin . Her artwork is captivating and so very lovely. Our editor and publisher, Laura Helweg and Tommy Nelson Books , ha

President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863! It feels like a long time ago yet not that long at all. I mean, just 163 years ago, Black people were still enslaved in this country! newspaper article about the emancipation proclamation Back to 1863. It’s going into year three of the Civil War. This is an important event in my upcoming middle-grade book, The Four Seasons of Florence Wallace. In a few months, the mandatory draft would be implemented.

Destruction of the COA By Monday, July 14, 1863, the rioters were in a frenzy. They set upon the city, attacking Black people, homes of...

On Saturday, July 11, 1863, the first lottery draft for the Civil War took place in New York. Over 1,000 names were called to fill New...

My author friends in KidLit in Color raved about Kindling Words East and assured me it was worth a visit all the way to Rhode Island. I...

Publisher's Weekly deal. B&W photograph of girls on the playground, exterior of orphanage circa 1860-1861. Photograph in the public...

While visiting a friend in Colorado last month, I decided it would be the perfect time to have a silent retreat. It's been a while,...

I was invited to read PRALINE LADY at the John Scott Center earlier this month. Years ago, I did a special donor project which featured...

When I saw Dr. Antoinette Harrell's name on the panel for GenFest, I knew I'd be attending. So on March 9th, I headed to GenFest hosted...

Below are some goals I’d like to focus on this year regarding my writing. I always keep it very simple and allow myself to deviate or go...

I've been obsessed with children's biographies lately as I finalize the revisions on a bio I've been working on for two years! I love...

My family and I recently returned from a trip to D.C. and Maryland. We had a wonderful time touring the museums and monuments. If you've...

Spanish moss at City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana

Publisher’s Weekly announcement It’s a great feeling to FINALLY be able to announce what my next picture book is about. My Instagram post...

When I was a little girl my Mom and Grandma went garage sale-ing all the time. They’d wake up early Saturday morning with their circled...

I had a delightful time reading PRALINE LADY at the children’s museum today. My teen was the photographer, hubs videographer (see insta),...

I created a scrapbook of my time living in Taiwan My first time celebrating Chinese New Year was in Taiwan in 1994, and it was really...

This week I had the pleasure of signing my second picture book contract! I am so grateful to be given this opportunity again. You see, I...

It’s a great feeling to see your book on display at the local bookstore. Last week, I visited Barnes & Noble with my teen and moseyed...

I recently went to an estate sale where I came upon this picture and immediately loved it. Of course, the Praline Lady with her basket on...