Monday, January 19, 2015

Cover reveal: It's in the Stars

Here's the cover for my newest book, IT'S IN THE STARS, coming Feb. 12, from Carina/HarperCollins. *Happy Dance*


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Crazy idea for a new year: Tracks inside supermarkets

How's that saying go? Necessity is the mother of invention? Well, I and a lot of other people have a necessity and I have a solution that would be a win-win for a supermarket. Don't stop reading. Just hear me out.

When it's cold outside, people need a place to walk. When it's hot outside, people need a place to walk. For me, this used to be the nearby mall, but the mall is being torn down and replaced with a strip mall. There goes my place to walk over my lunch hour when it's too cold or too hot to walk outside.

Here's my solution. Supermarkets should invest more completely in the health craze and provide a walking/running track on the perimeter of their store. Don't laugh. Just think about it. When it's hot, people flock to the freezer section of the supermarket to hang out for a while. So, imagine if a supermarket (those located in areas where there is extreme cold and heat) integrated tracks into their designs. People would flock to the supermarket to walk or run. And, they might need a drink afterward or pick up a loaf of bread or bananas or whatever. The supermarket offers a service, gets people in its doors who might not normally come there, and so forth. Seems like a win-win.

So, if you're a supermarket and you want to talk out my idea, contact me. I have a billion ideas running through this crazy head of mine!


Friday, January 2, 2015

New year brings new possibilities

I love new beginnings. It's exciting to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. A new year brings new possibilities. It's full of hope and promise. Of new opportunities and challenges. Of wondrous adventures waiting to be had.
And yet, as much as I look forward to a new year, it's hard saying goodbye to this one. I've been blessed in so many ways and I'm thankful for the opportunities I've had and the memories I've made. From judging the Pulitzer Prizes to serving two fellowships at DePauw University to publishing four books, it's been a year filled with great accomplishments. I hope that 2015 will be even better.
When I think back over my yesteryears, there are some things I've learned.
I've learned never to give up on my dreams. I hope you never do. Tend to your dreams like you would anything you care deeply about. Guard them and protect them from the naysayers of the world and hold onto them tightly. Don't let them slip through your fingers and leave you holding nothing but thoughts of what might have been. Success is about hard work, passion and will.