What are you working on now?
These days (summer of 2024) I’m mainly focused on high-fiving trees and enjoying the summer breeze. When I’m walking around here in New York City, I do this thing where I reach up as I walk by trees so I can touch their leaves. I’m all about the little things, and connecting with urban nature in this simple but powerful way reinforces the practice of daily gratitude. I also like to connect with other plants on the street; you can often find me appreciating flowers around Gramercy Park. But your question was about work. Recently I completed two manuscripts for new projects that are different from the teen novels I usually write. Hoping to have good news to share with you soon!
What are some fun facts about you?
Chez from When It Happens is my actual stuffed koala bear I've had forever. I love lamps and resist using overhead lights. I've been a vegetarian since college. I fangirl hardcore over all things related to The Office. I'm into archival scrapbooking because sometimes I forget what happened. City lights attract me like a moth to a flame. When I was a teacher, my collection of Gelly Roll pens I used to grade papers was extensive (which barely rivaled my huge graphic tee collection), mainly consisting of the glitter ones. I’m obsessed with fruit, especially berries and melons. I don't do winter. Last time I drove a car I was 19, back when I had like a dozen pairs of Converse. Also, I rule at Pac-Man. And Skee-Ball. And if you leave me alone with your closet (or kitchen, or really any part of your home), I will organize it.
You can find out more fun facts, including who is on my Top Five Husbands List, in this Epic Author Facts video.
Do you believe in fate?
I’ve always been interested in the concept of fate. The choices we make shape our lives, and I believe the Universe works in powerful ways to support us along our journey. In Something Like Fate, I explore some of the questions I’ve been asking for years. How much does fate control our lives? If we follow one path instead of another, will we still arrive at the same endpoint like in Sliding Doors? How can we explain things like major coincidences, deja vu, and that incredible sense of connection we immediately feel with some people?
You are the architect of your own destiny. This is why creating your ideal life is totally possible, no matter what happened to you. If you are passionate about making your dreams reality, choose actions that inform your goals, and radiate positive energy, fate will open doors of opportunity for you in amazing ways.
What was the first story you ever wrote?
My first story was called “The Carrot and the Rabbit”. It was written when I was in first or second grade. I still have it in my scrapbook. I was inspired by Aesop’s Fables and wanted to write a fable of my own.
The story is about a rabbit who wants to eat a carrot. So the rabbit asks the carrot if he can have a bite. And the carrot’s like, “If you want to have a bite of me, I must have a bite of you.” The rabbit agrees and they decide to meet up at 3:00. At 3:00, the carrot discovers that the rabbit has shown up with a fake rabbit arm for him to eat! Obviously, the carrot finds this completely unacceptable. He tells the rabbit that he can’t have a bite of carrot. The moral is: Be fair to others and they will be fair to you.
Do experiences from real life inspire your writing?
Absolutely! I want my books to feel as real as possible. Inspiration from actual experiences helps to accomplish this. Sometimes I hear a piece of dialogue that I know needs to go in a book. Or something will happen that's just so funny it's obvious I have to include it in some way. There's a scene in Take Me There involving the sloppiest notebook in the world and extra credit. That scene was inspired by actual events that went down in my class when I was teaching. Ideas also come to me in dreams. The main plots of Take Me There and Something Like Fate both revealed themselves to me in dreams.