Why Did the Dogs Have to Die?
May 1, 2026
A student asked why the dogs had to die. The answer changed how I teach. It also changed how I write.
Before I Write the First Word
April 1, 2026
Before I write any story — fiction or non-fiction — I ask myself five questions. These questions are not about voice, or structure, or theme. They are not about tone, or pacing, or point of view either. But before I write a single word, they'll help me decide whether the story is even worth writing.
Why I Write for Young People
March 1, 2026
The simple answer is that those years have less to do with age than with a particular moment in life when the world widens, questions deepen, and stories begin to matter in new ways.
