Welcome!

"A" is for Alexandria. I write books for young readers and move quite a lot. I have lived in Wisconsin, Virginia, Tennessee, Illinois, New York, California, and now Arkansas. As an avid hat-wearer who moves around a lot, I believe that home is where you hang your hat.

It's another exciting year! I've been traveling and speaking to many great schools and conferences, and I've even found time to write! I am pleased to say that The Year of the Sawdust Man is once again available in paperback, published by Milkweed Editions. A brand new book set after the Civil War, Stella Stands Alone, is available from Simon & Schuster.

I'm so fortunate to combine writing with teaching. At Hollins University, I teach children's literature in their summer MFA program, and at Hamline University, I teach writing for children and young adults in their MFA program.