Introduction and Celebration!

A long time ago, on a blog far, far away, I used to write about science and storytelling. I called this blog "Discoverific" and I had a lot of fun keeping up on science news and interesting stories there. But life got busy and the world got difficult and I had to take a pause. AKA, I just kinda stopped blogging and never went back.

UNTIL NOW. Yes, I'm returning to the blogging scene! With brand new energy and perspective!

Since pausing my blogging, I've gone on to publish two science-based kidlit novels and as of today.... a picture book! You can read more about my books here. I have more books in the pipeline that I'm excited about, too.

I've long been a science educator, working primarily in museums, but am also now a children's author--which means my blog will have a broader focus than it did before. And hopefully a useful one! The entire reason I'm returning to the blogging scene is because I want to be a better resource to my communities. My science community. My educator community. My writing community. I have so much I can share and help with, but few direct ways of getting that information out there. I hope this blog fills that gap!

What you'll find (probably) on this NEW version of Discoverific:

Reviews and recommendations of science-related children's books!
Exciting science news!
Interviews with scientists, educators, authors, and illustrators!
Writing tips and advice, from picture books through young adult!
Collections of online and offline STEM resources for kids!
Cool science activities!
Museum and science center professional insights!
"Behind the Scenes" of book publishing!
Connections between the worlds of scientific research, public education, and children's media!
KidLit cover reveals and launch celebrations!
And the occasional geeky post about other things I'm excited about, because hey, this is my blog, after all.

How often will I post? I suspect at first, 1-3 times a month. Initially there will not be a regular schedule, as I test the waters to see what makes the most sense. My aim is for quality over quantity. Did I mention since pausing my old blog, I also became a parent of two awesome kids? That feels relevant to the "uncertainty in scheduling" discussion.

All in all, I'm thrilled to be back. I can't wait to begin sharing more posts. And I'm over the moon that my first ever picture book hits shelves today!

Cover art featuring a wolf's face close up, with a human reflected in her eyes. The words THIS WOLF WAS DIFFERENT is written across the image.

This Wolf Was Different is the story of a young, prehistoric wolf, who doesn't fit in with her pack. Her greatest wish is to be more like a real wolf. But when she becomes separated from her family, despair turns to hope when she meets someone who helps her learn how wonderful it can be to be different.

It's inspired both by my love for prehistory and my struggles growing up being different. I never could quite get the hang of how to be what society expected of me. It was a lonely, isolating experience. Now that I'm grown, I can see how it shaped me to go down a unique life path. And I wanted to share that with kids who might feel as I did. Weird. Not "right". Like everyone else got programming you missed. This isn't a book about how it's not valid to feel those things. It acknowledges the hardship along with the message of hope: there is something out there for you. A path those around you could never imagine. Keep going.

Illustrated by the amazing Hannah Salyer, of Packs and Ancestory acclaim, the art immerses readers both in the prehistoric world Wolf is a part of, and the emotions of Wolf herself.

I'm so proud of this book and so honored that so many talented people agreed to work on it. Thank you, Hannah, for pouring heart into these words. Thank you, Andrea Welch, for taking on this manuscript and believing in what it could be. Thank you, Joan Paquette, for seeing the potential in my first ever picture book attempt. Thank you to the entire team at Beach Lane Books for growing this story from a word document to the beautiful book it is today. Thank you to my critique partners, my friends, and my family for supporting me on this new path. It's different, but you all know to expect that from me, by now. <3

Links to purchase: Simon and Schuster's Page, Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or order through Porter Square Books and request a signed copy! Also available through any local bookstore. If it's not in stock, your store can order it!