Meatball Man Head Detective follows a quirky detective in a quiet town who is faced with solving the mystery of Sally Saltshaker’s missing husband. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Funny enough, Meatball Man was created one night over a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with my kids! We were sitting at the dinner table and thought about how much fun it would be if there was a detective called Meatball Man who was in charge of a town full of “foodlings.” My kids loved the idea, and we immediately began creating. The rest is history!

How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?

Meatball Man, Cheese Stick, and Bread Stick were created right away. Overall, the story came together rather quickly and was finished in about a month. It was incredibly fun, and I hope that came through in my writing.

What draws you to writing and illustrating children’s books?

I’ve always loved reading children’s books and still have some of my favorite books from when I was a child. I work full-time as a Speech-Language Pathologist, head a creative writing club for pre-teens at my local library, and overall have a love of language. I truly believe that books have the power to change the world. Getting kids interested in books at a young age is imperative, and I love the discussions that can occur from text and drawings. Children are so creative and intelligent. I hope my work can contribute to those important discussions and potential new creations.

What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?

My next book, FLIGHT: A NOVEL IN VERSE, is scheduled to be released in November 2024, also with Monarch Educational Services. The story, a YA verse novel, is told from the point-of-view of Cassie, a 15-year-old girl maneuvering life after the death of her father and subsequent collapse of her family. It’s a story of loss, love, and ultimately hope – something I think we could use more of in this world. I’m also currently in the process of working on Meatball Man 2!

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