How I became a writer…
From the time I was little, books were everything. With a flashlight under the covers, I read long into the night, sacrificing sleep for whatever new story fascinated me that day.
I hoped I would grow up to be a writer who could provide the same joy to others that my favorite authors had given me. I studied fiction and playwriting while in college, but when school ended, I wasn’t sure how to make a living as a writer. So, I attended the Radcliffe Publishing Program and became a book editor instead.
Eventually, I decided that I’d rather be in a classroom than an office. I pursued a master’s in teaching and became a fifth-grade teacher in Seattle Public Schools, a job I loved! I gave all my energy to my students and was happy teaching others to write instead of doing it myself. But then, while heading out for a run, I slipped down icy stairs and broke my back in two places! Suddenly confined to my couch for a few weeks, I started writing again. The stories I wrote on the couch earned me a spot in workshops at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and Tin House. I completed an MFA in fiction from New York University in 2021 and recently finished writing my first novel. Hippocampus Magazine published an essay of mine in 2024. I now live in Rhode Island, where I take long walks with my dog, teach part-time, and still like to write on the couch.
Things I love
Writing novels about teenagers
I love the editing process as much as writing. Finding the right word, the perfect metaphor, the best way to convey a feeling…heaven!
Reading
I love all sorts of books, but I especially love literary fiction and YA. Poetry can also be a great way to ease into a writing morning.
Television and film
Great storytelling can happen in so many forms, and I find inspiration in all of it. Some of my favorite shows and films of late include “Heartstopper,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Severance,” “One Day,” “Bridgerton,” “Shrinking,” “A Real Pain,” “My Old Ass,” “Wicked,” “Arrival,” and so many more!
Live theatre
Absolute thrill to be in a room with talented people making art right before you. I went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August, and what a feast it was!
My family
I’m lucky to have a large family, and we enjoy hanging out together. I’m the oldest of four (three younger brothers), and we all have kids. We love to cook big, cozy meals, travel to foreign lands, play games, and support each other in all we do.
My writing community
I have amazing, talented friends who understand the highs and lows of trying to become published writers. We celebrate each other’s wins and empathize with the struggle of putting words on the page or finding a home for our latest projects.
Sunshine and coffee. Mmmm.
Favorite books of the last few years
Fiction
On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
(a fitting title as beautiful as this stunning novel)
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
(a master class in restraint)
Run Me to Earth by Paul Yoon
(achingly beautiful)
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
(so good—history mixed with heart)
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
(an excellent example of multiple POVs that all work)
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
(so moving)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
(epic)
There There by Tommy Orange
(amazing ending)
Young Adult
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily XR Pan
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Contact Me
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