Here are all my latest posts. Check ’em out!
The Importance of Mentor Texts: A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME Blog Post
I believe in mentor texts. They are an invaluable teaching tool and an invaluable learning tool. When I visit schools, I always talk about the texts I use to help me with my writing and learning, and I can’t wait for the conversations I’ll get to have this year about...
The Character of Mr. Acevedo: A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME Blog Post
“I want to see more of you in this book.” That’s what my editor Wes said to me when we were going over an early draft of A Whole New Ballgame, and as soon as he said those ten words, my ever-present hovering light bulb switched on. At that moment, I knew I needed to...
A Dog Story with a Happily Ever After Ending
Several weeks back, we placed a difficult post on social media about our rescue dog Cleveland, who we had adopted four months earlier: "Sadly, we're dealing with an unfortunate situation with Cleveland. She's a beautiful animal -- gentle as can be, intelligent, and...
Working with Lowernine.org — A HURRICANE KATRINA 10th ANNIVERSARY Blog Post
Next week marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Next week, I'll be back in New Orleans for the first time in several years. More than anything, I'm looking forward to seeing the incredible folks from the non-profit organization lowernine.org. All month...
The Start of A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME!
Today is a circle-the-calendar day, one of those days where you put multiple stars across the top of your journal entry. I can safely say that today is one of the biggest days of my writing life. It's the book birthday of A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME. But it's much more than...