One of my books is in SPACE!!! (I had to lead with that - it has been such a grand adventure!)Hello! I've been writing poetry and stories since I could hold a crayon. I'm a former language arts teacher with a BA from UCLA and my MA in English Lit from Yale. In between writing projects, I facilitate creativity workshops and stay close to my inner flower child by dancing, raising cats and chickens, traveling, sculpting, painting, tide pooling and taking nature hikes with my two sons (some of these excursions led to me create the ABC Guidebooks Explores Santa Barbara Coloring Guidebook for Kids!)Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs was my first children's picture book -- what a joy to see that the book is helping kids stay connected to people they love and miss. My next book was The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, which I co-authored with LeVar Burton, to help kids cope with traumatic events and realize there are helpers all around them. The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm was selected as part of the Storytime from Space program and is currently orbiting earth aboard the International Space Station. (I even got to go to the Kennedy Space Center when they launched the rocket that carried the Cygnus spacecraft with my book aboard - and watched breathlessly when the Cygnus attached to the Space Station.)In addition to writing books for kids, I'm a published poet (see The Cancer Poetry Project 2 anthology and All We Can Hold due out in Summer 2016). I am currently revising a novel for young adults and working on new picture books. I am a strong believer in the magical healing powers of nature and creativity! xoxo