I wrote Samantha Sweet while in grad school. I kept it on my bedside table for 26 years as it moved with me through several states. During the 2020 lockdown, I pulled it out of the drawer and decided to do something with it. Completing this project inspired me to continue down the path to becoming a picture book author. Since publishing Samantha Sweet, I’ve taken picture book writing classes, attended writing conferences, joined industry organizations, participated in numerous webinars, joined critique groups, and checked out about a zillion children’s books from the library. I want to learn everything I can to write books that will touch the lives of future readers (and parents!).