Welcome!  Since I specialize in writing stories for young readers, I’m going to dive right in and start with a tale from my own childhood….

Many summers ago, when I was 11 years old, I was hard at work building a fort in the woods near my family’s farmhouse in Virginia when I happened to roll over a rotten log and catch sight of something amazing half-buried in the dirt and pine needles. It was a key! A really old one! It felt heavy in my hand and stretched across the width of my palm.

For weeks I carried that mysterious key around in my pocket, wondering if I’d ever find the long-forgotten door or padlock that it might open. I think it was that fort-building summer when I first became fascinated with uncovering stories and mysteries from the past. If you’d like to find out more about me and my books, this site is your key. Please explore!