10 years ago, I made a first attempt at writing a book as part of my University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities senior thesis. The project offered to option to conduct a research project, and I originally intended to do so, but I suddenly found myself wanting to seize the opportunity to tackle a creative project, something I might not have dared to do otherwise. I was working at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at the time and was inspired to write a children’s book for 8-12 year olds.

10 years and 3 book attempts later, I can officially say that my debut novel is being published by Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House in 2020. A WOLF FOR A SPELL is the same book that I’ve been working on since 2015, that made it into Query Kombat and was ultimately showcased as part of Pitch Wars 2017.

I am so grateful to Katherine Harrison, my editor at Knopf, for believing in this book and guiding it in a direction that I’m immensely proud of. My agent Katie Grimm pulled me out of the slush and transformed my work into something that excited enough editors to lead to an auction. And my Pitch Wars mentor mentor KC Held, who offered an opportunity that would be be a jumping off point for many more opportunities to come. I’ve always believed that art benefits from collaboration, and I am so grateful to have had these wonderful women to guide my revisions.

I can’t wait to share more about WOLF in the coming months, and to see it on shelves in 2020!