I'm honored to moderate this panel at the Columbus Book Festival this weekend! I promise a great discussion about middle grade with these fine authors. @poetnikki.bsky.social @tayberryjelly.bsky.social @zachweinersmith.bsky.social #ColumbusBookFestival2026 #kidlit

Little introduction #KidLit

As someone who works in an independent bookstore, I would like to highlight the alternatives available to you during Prime Days. Libro.fm is the best for audio. You can even choose which independent bookstore you would like to support with your purchases. They rolled out an annual sub as well.

Happy Middle Grade Monday and more Women in Horror! Part 1 today with Daka Hermon @wendyparrisauthor.bsky.social @lorasenf.bsky.social #MiddleGradeMonday for #womeninhorrormonth

Join @wendyparrisauthor.bsky.social , @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social, Katherine Riley, Becky Spratford & I as we discuss THE THRILL OF THE CHILL: TURNING FEAR INTO A CATALYST FOR CREATIVITY. Join us @C2E2 on Friday, 3/27 at 3:15 PM in room S402-B & at our signing at Anderson's #163. See you there!

Absolutely starting a rewatch of Derry Girls tonight.

The world could be such a nice place if we allowed it. It's all so goddamn unnecessary. There's no need for any of it. It's so beautiful here. It should be so cool to be alive

Psyched to announce I'll be appearing March 27 @c2e2.bsky.social as a panelist! The topic- The Thrill of the Chill: Turning Fear as a Catalyst for Creativity. More info to come! #kidlit

WRAD (World Read Aloud Day) is now over. I read virtually from my books to 8 group of middle schoolers, then answered their questions about writing. Great fun and now I need a nap! #kidlit

The cost of 2 mg paperbacks = the cost of 1 mg hardback… so why not buy my 2 spooky books as gifts for the young reader in your life! Signed copies available here: thebookstall.com/search?q=Wen... & when checking out, add that you’d like signed copies in “Customer Comments!” #kidlit #holidaygifts

Publishers' Weekly chose our panel as one of the top ones to attend at #NCTE next week... please come see us if you're there! @jennaleeyun.bsky.social @ryanjamesblack.bsky.social @christinewrites.bsky.social @jessicahaster.bsky.social @careybk.bsky.social @ncte.org #kidlit #spookymiddlegrade

Halloween may be over but our school visits are not! Kids love spooky books all year long and author visits inspire kids to read and write. Reach out to schedule your free visit! #EduSky #Teachers #Librarians

For a truly creepy mg book, look no further than STAGE FRIGHT. 💀 "A locked room scary story about thirteen-year-old Avery, who plans a séance at a deserted theater to bond with her friends, only to find they are trapped inside with someone—or something—else." #kidlit @randomhousekids.bsky.social

FREE writing workshop for kids 8-12 years old! School's out 10/24 in Oak Park, IL, so Dandelion Bookshop is hosting a mini writing workshop at 3 p.m. I'll read from my spooky mg books, then help kids start a creepy tale of their own! Please register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/spooky-sto... #kidlit

If you are in beautiful, dynamic, wonderfully diverse Chicago this Sunday, 10/12, please come by the gorgeous @barnesandnoble.com Wicker Park btwn 1-3 p.m. I'll be signing copies of my spooky middle grade novels! more info: stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/978006... #kidlit

BEST BIG CITY IN THE US 9 YEARS IN A ROW. While critics try to paint Chicago as something to fear, the rest of the world knows the truth — this is the best big city in America.

This week marks 1 year since STAGE FRIGHT published, and we're giving away 5 copies on Goodreads to celebrate! Perfect for spooky season, it's about 4 kids trapped in a haunted theater 👻💀 Enter before Oct. 7 here: www.goodreads.com/book/show/20... #kidlit @rhcbschoollibrary.bsky.social

I'm now officially a Spooky Middle Grade Author 👻 Love this crew of traditionally published authors working to show that scary stories for kids are important all year round! Please go to our website at www.spookymiddlegrade.com to find out more and see what we can offer educators! #kidlit #spookymg

Know your rights, Illinois. Stay safe and stay informed.

Thank you to the IL Reading Council for generously buying 100 copies of STAGE FRIGHT to give away at the Illinois State Fair. I got to sign and hand them all out to bunches of book fans! Happy to meet Il Sec of State Alexi Giannoulis, Honorary Chair of the Illinois Reads Program, too! #kidlit

SNOOP DOGG and I will BOTH be at the Ill State Fair tomorrow, 8/13 🔥 He performs at 8pm And I, as a 2025 @ilreadcouncil.bsky.social author, will sign free copies of STAGE FRIGHT 📚 Please drop by! #illinoisstatefair #illinoissecretaryofstate #snoppdogg #kidlit #spookymg #illinoisreads

Sooo fun!

"This was an experiment by a kindergarten class. They dropped seeds in the cracks of the sidewalk to see what would happen. This would help our bees " via I Love Bees

Excited to be on the panel! #kidlit #ALA #ALA25

Can’t wait! Always been a fan. Wrote my high school senior paper on Mary Shelley and birth, motherhood, death in Frankenstein/her life.

Not only is it more energy efficient to simply not use AI, but it's also better to not use AI for literally every other reason, too! Critical thinking skills are down, reading and writing capabilities are down, AND the earth is on fire because you wanted a picture of yourself in studio ghibli style.

Many years ago, when my daughter was maybe 7, she asked “Mom, did you used to date gossips?” It took me a minute. Then: “Honey, do you mean gothics? Goths?” She nodded. lol “Yes, sweetie. Yes, I did.” #WorldGothDay

Thank you! The kids were fantastic!

Honored to be Author in Residence next week in Waterloo, Iowa, where I went to grade school. I’ll speak at the public library and visit with 900 5th graders who have been reading and discussing my debut in class! #kidlit #booksky #middlegradebooks #spookymg

Thank you, Walmart, for supporting kids’ literacy and choosing my book STAGE FRIGHT as part of your 2025 Summer Reading program! Displays like this are rolling out all over the U.S…this photo was shot in Mason City, Iowa 😎 #kidlit #walmart #randomhousechildrensbooks #summerreading #StageFright

Why even have a brain, any ideas, any ability to express them, any kind of communication with other people, any desire to solve problems or invent anything, any reason to learn, any use for your eyes or your heart, or any reason to teach or create

A tricky thing about modern society is that no one has any idea when they don’t die. Like, the number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200,000 per year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero.

Honored that FIELD OF SCREAMS made the Final Four in the Olathe, KS annual Trail Challenge - voted on by 6-8th graders! #kidlit #middlegradebooks @olatheschools.bsky.social

Dream achieved-found one of my books on sale at an airport bookstore! @barbarasbookstore.bsky.social at Chicago/O’Hare! #kidlit

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So fun to drop by! Cover to Cover (in Columbus, Ohio) is one of my favorite bookstores!!

Psyched to appear on a panel about the 6-8th grade books and meet so many educators, librarians, & readers! #kidlit #IRCreads

For folks who say, "Why should I even bother calling my Democratic Senator? They'll vote the right way..." I need you to understand that when Dem electeds try to justify why they're cowering in terror from Trump right now, the VERY FIRST THING THEY CITE is: "no one's calling my office"

Super super excited to announce a new neurodivergent storytellers scholarship at The Highlights Foundation ! More info on donating here, but also consider applying during scholarship season! www.highlightsfoundation.org/neurodiverse...

KidLit for Los Angeles is holding an auction to raise money for wildfire relief. The amazing #kidlit community has donated signed books, original art, critiques, & AMAs. You can bid on a signed copy of IVAN, a signed class set of MOUSE & HIS DOG, or lots more: www.32auctions.com/kidlitforlosangeles

Excited to meet young readers Saturday 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the iRead Kickoff/Kid Lit Fest in Highland Park, IL! #kidlit #booksky

Presenting "Safe-Scary: How Middle Grade Horror Provides Kids with a Safe Environment to Face Their Fears" with awesome fellow mg authors @dsallenauthor.bsky.social @medenkuyatt.bsky.social @christinewrites.bsky.social & Rachel Marsh! So excited to meet all the librarians! #kidlit #ALA

Great book!!

Quite seriously: when you see an author endlessly promote their book, and you get tired of it, remember that only a small fraction of their network sees any single post, let alone their network’s network. And be kind to each other.

If we care about the future of our children - we need a library & a librarian in every single school, to help every single child find the books that will make them lifelong readers! Libraries & librarians create the readers of the future! #libraries #librarians #literacy (Art: Chris Riddell)

Kids loooove ghost stories, so give ‘em what they want! Order STAGE FRIGHT &/or FIELD OF SCREAMS at www.thebookstall.com/search/site/..., type “signed copy” in the comments, & get a book autographed by me 👻 Both available in paperback. Limited time offer #holidaygifts #kidlit #middlegradereads

Almost a year old and still true (someone else just liked it)

My books as ornaments! Custom made by www.booksbybritton.com I LOVE them! #kidlit

Tonight!! #kidlit