Grace’s Write Time follows a seventh-grade girl whose family moves to a new town, uprooting her life and causing her to struggle with making new friends in a new city. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When I was in middle school, our family moved to Chicago. It opened up a whole new world for me. I thought that would be a good starting point to incorporate my family themes of adoption and identity.

Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?

While in our new town, I took horseback riding lessons. It was a totally new experience for me and the start of a more adventurous spirit beginning to grow. That spirit and curiosity is important, especially for middle schoolers who are just beginning to find out about the world.

In Grace’s Write Time, I have included equine therapy as one of the ways in which an adopted child can be supported. Equine therapy is often used as a way to promote mental, physical and emptional well-being and it worked well with the story.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

As an adoptive mom, I began writing children’s books about adoption trauma, grief and loss. All adoption begins with trauma and my mission has always been to promote honest conversations within families. Children in blended families naturally have questions about their story. Where did I come from? Who do I look like? Adoption begins with loving intentions, but parents must be transparent, telling children their adoption stories even before the concept of adoption is understood. With honest conversation, blended families can thrive.

Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?

Grace’s Write Time is book one in a series with a working title of: The Blended Family Series. My second book is almost completed and incorporates themes on divorce and step children. The age range for the book is the same; eight to twelve. A third book is also in the early planning stages and will involve additional blended family topics and issues.

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