What Books Influenced Your Childhood?

During the summer that I was eleven years old, one of my Grandma’s teacher friends gifted me a stack of books. I considered them “old lady” books and didn’t want to a single one of them. But, as the hot days dragged on, I became bored enough to thumb through each book. Among the paperbacks was Eric by Doris Lund. Even though my memory of childhood is hazy, at best, I clearly recall reading this powerful story of a boy with Leukemia as told by his mother. I remember falling in love with Eric, hoping against all hope that he would overcome the disease, and then feeling utterly devastated when he didn’t. I hated the book so, so much because it hurt my heart in ways I’d never experienced before. I vowed to never read it again.

However…

What I didn’t realize is that nine years later I’d meet my future husband who, you guessed it, is a survivor of childhood cancer. The scenes and emotions from “Eric” flooded back to me as if I’d just read it. In that instant, I knew the power books have in developing empathy. I felt a connection with the him because I’d experienced some of his pain through Eric’s story.

This is partially why I wrote Under the Foster Freak Tree. I cannot think of a better way to share my experience as a foster mother than through this emotional roller-coaster of a book. Even though the storyline is fictional, the emotions are very, very real. I hope that one day an eleven-year-old girl will read my book and develop empathy for struggling families. Maybe that empathy will carry over into other areas of her life. Hopefully, through her, my book will help change lives for the better.

It’s summertime again and I am thirty-eight years old. I’ve just ordered a copy of Eric, and plan to break my vow. Maybe when I’m done reading it, I’ll pass it on to my kids and hope they don’t think it’s too “old lady” for them.

I am beyond excited to introduce my debut novella, coming September 28, 2018!

Under the Foster Freak Tree

When fifteen-year-old Sefina Nafo is kicked out of her latest foster home, she gets separated from her little brothers. Now, she’s the only brown kid in her new foster family as she navigates grief from her dad’s death, her mom’s addictions, and the school bully labeling her Foster Freak.

With the court date looming, Sefina comes up with a plan to reunite with her mom and brothers before it’s too late. The biggest challenge is trying not to fall in love with her new foster family. As her relationship with foster mom Jen blossoms, Sefina must decide what “family” really means.

Under the Foster Freak Tree is scheduled to be released September 28, 2018, but you can pre-order the Kindle version here.