Yay!  The cover for For the Right to Learn Malala Yousafzai's Story has been released.  I wish I could show you some of the interior spreads because the illustrator, Janna Bock, did such a lovely job! But you can tell from the cover how very talented she is. I'm just delighted!  Look for the book on shelves in late summer and stay tuned for a book release party!   

I'm currently writing my sixth work-for-hire book.  Want to find out how to apply for work-for-hire book assignments?  Pop over to my guest post on Mandy Wallace's blog and learn how you can break into publishing through children's work-for-hire. 

I'm delighted to announce I've signed a contract to write a picture book biography of one of my personal heroes, Malala Yousafzai.  Malala is the Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban for promoting education for girls.  The book is due out in fall 2015 with possible fully-illustrated ARCs out by this winter. I'm awed and humbled by this soon-to-be seventeen year-old girl who, in addressing the United Nations, said, ". . .Let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons.  One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world."  I'm honored to pick up my pen on her behalf.

My first book, All Dolled Up: Bringing 1920s and 1930s Flair to your Wardrobe made its debut at Kern Reading Association's Book Talk Tea February 13, 2014.  Here are a few pictures.  I celebrated with my daughter Anne, sisters Nancy & Kathy, niece Beki, friends Monique & Vidalia, KRA teacher and librarian buddies, and fellow Capstone author Allison Crotzer Kimmel who penned Prepped and Punked: Bringing 1980s and 1990s Flair to your Wardrobe.   In honor of my first book release I'm giving away a pair of handcrafted Barbie shoe earrings in your choice of color.  To enter the drawing just leave a comment below sharing your favorite way to accessorize.  You can probably guess my favorite accessory is a funky pair of earrings. One winner will be drawn by a computerized random number generator program when the contest ends March 1, 2014.