Kids these days…are heroes! Youth activists from around the world attended Ocean Heroes Bootcamp in Vancouver, British Columbia at the end of June and I was there to watch, learn and be inspired. Pre-teens and high schoolers get training on how to create campaigns to beat plastic pollution. Kids I spoke with come to bootcamp armed with … More Kids Stomp out Plastic Pollution
Our planet is in a climate and ecological crisis. We need to fight for our lives and the lives of all species. Scientists estimate that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fishes. On my most recent sea turtle expedition, 1/3 of the turtles we caught were infected with the … More Planet in Peril
I’ll be returning to the Bahamas later this week to work with marine scientists tracking juvenile green sea turtle habitat. Here, I recount my June, 2018 experience. Come along for this wild ride! My expedition as an eco-volunteer with Earthwatch, the global conservation organization, begins on the hot tarmac at Rock Sound airport in Eleuthera, … More Turtle Rodeo
My friend Alexis Block has invented HuggieBot, a robot that hugs! She’s allowed me to take a peek into her life to tell the story of how she faced bullying, gender stereotypes and overcame extreme heartache to take top honors in the field of (HRI) human-robot interaction. Lexi has always loved being a ballerina and … More A Hugging Robot?
Woodland Pattern bookstore’s annual (15-hour) poetry marathon was a blast. I read during the hour sponsored by Riverwest Currents. A warm and welcoming community of writers and poets! Many of my poems are inspired by family memories and reflections of life experience with all its ups and downs. Check out Lake Michigan Stones & Keeper of … More Poetry Marathon
Children’s book author Pat Zietlow-Miller led a Wisconsin SCBWI-sponsored program all about using favorite picture books (mentor texts) for inspiration to create something equally wonderful but uniquely your own. Thanks Pat! I’ve got lots of ideas brewing.
My daughter Savannah & I met Barbara Josse, author of one of our favorite children’s books–“I Love You the Purplest.” When our children ask, “Mommy, who do you love the most?”, we are momentarily tongue-tied. How can we answer this question? We love and cherish them in unique ways. Author, Josse finds a beautiful and … More I Love You The Purplest
Check out my short story “I Hate Being Jewish” published in The Jewish Literary Journal’s January issue.
Mary Alice Monroe visited Boswell Books this week. I got a much needed dose of inspiration from this accomplished author who, like me weaves ecology themes and a love of nature into the story she tells. Have been ‘stuck’ with plot revisions after finishing the first draft of my middle grade novel, but am now motivated to get … More Boswell Books Author Talk
Transported to the Caribbean islands-at least for a few minutes when I read from my novel, Spice island at Sugar Maple Brew Pub in Milwaukee. Great to feel the warmth & camaraderie of local writers sharing their work. Fun kick-off of Picture & a Thousand Words. We used photographs as prompts to inspire a 1,000 word story.
