Reading
Writing
Teaching
Books are kind of my life.
Seriously, it’s lucky my husband is an introverted DnD nerd, because I spend a lot of time reading and writing fantasy. I also read tons for my job as an EL teacher.
All the books!
When I’m not reading or writing (or grading student work), I love to cook. In fact, if I don’t have a YA fantasy book in my hands, then I’m probably reading a cookbook or stuffing squash blossoms. When covid and cancer* allow, I love to host my writing critique buddies, talking about books for hours while feeding them grilled fennel ribs, strawberry salad, venison and poblano tamales, caramelized tangerine flan… yum.
One of those critique buddies says I write about food “like it’s a godd*mn superpower,” and thus the idea for my latest novel was born. Food fantasy. A protagonist without magic in a world where people are valued by their power—but dang can she cook, and she uses her skill to open doors and make allies as she searches for her kidnapped father. Click above to learn more about The Faerling and the Fisher's Daughter, or about another project in the works, a young adult contemporary fantasy called Gloss.
* About that cancer asterisk.
I wrote most of the first draft of The Faerling and the Fisher’s Daughter in November 2021 for NaNoWriMo. I was really stressed about teaching, trying and too often failing to help kids adjust back to ‘normal’ school after the disruptions of covid. By the middle of October, I was completely rewriting my curriculum to try to meet students’ academic and personal needs. Oh, and through all this I was leading negotiations on the union contract for 850 teachers.
Perfect time to write a novel, imo.
Three days after I finished writing Faerling, I found a lump in my right breast. I had just reminded myself that eye-popping stress, passion projects, and responsibility for the financial welfare of 850 teachers were no excuse to neglect routine stuff like self-exams. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. So by the middle of December I had a rough draft, kids breaking down at school, an unfinished contract, and a 7.5cm tumor glowing like a giant sun on my PET scan.
My students gave me a couple of awesome haircuts and all their love through 16 rounds of chemotherapy. Not everyone has that kind of support as part of their treatment plan, and I’m convinced it helped. After chemotherapy, immunotherapy, a double mastectomy, and ‘boosted’ radiation I am, as far as anyone can tell, cancer-free!
(Yes, I took that picture in a middle school bathroom. My life is incredibly glamorous.)
My garden has also been key to my recovery and well-being. I spent long hours in the chemo chair plotting it out. Being sick through the Minnesota winter definitely made me appreciate the warmer, brighter days of spring.