As part of my academic life, I occasionally present papers and research. I’ve also freelanced a bit in nonfiction and reviewing over the years, which you can find below.
professional memberships
MFA Hamline University, Writing for Children & Young Adults [2022]
B.S. English/Creative Writing Indiana State University [2009]
Member of SCBWI
Member of Sisters in Crime National, SINC Chicagoland, & SINC Guppies
Member of Mystery Writers of America National & MWA Midwest
presentations & papers
Hamline University Winter Residency, January 2022
Presented Creative Thesis: “Trowel and Trouble: A Ruby Eloise Mystery”Hamline University Winter Residency, January 2021
Presented Critical Thesis: “Taking Care of Reader: The Art of Murder in Middle Grade Mysteries”The Writer’s Nook Virtual Conference, 2021
Presented “Coming to Terms with Your Inner Writer”
NCTE Annual Convention “¡Confluencia! Songs of Ourselves,” 2020
Accepted to co-facilitate panel titled “New Entrances to Critical Lens Work Through Young Adult Literature, Film and Picture Books”AISLE and IATE “Together We Can” Conference, 2019
Co-facilitated panel titled “Critical Choices: Awakening Students' Enthusiasm for Reading the World”English Studies at Large Conference, Illinois State University, 2013
Presented paper: “Mashing up YA Lit: How Genre Blending Challenges and Creates Readers”
podcasts
Guest interviews
Spark Creativity Episode 196: “How Caitlin’s Verse Novel Clubs Engaged Seniors ‘Til the End”
Spark Creativity Episode 275: “Teaching Sci-Fi and Fantasy (The Elective Series)”
Teach 4 the Heart Episode 305: Adding Joy + Play into Any Classroom
Cake N Whiskey Magazine
Sip & Slice Blog columnist
“Season of Grace” June 2015
“Refreshing the Soul” June 2015
“Breathe Deeply Into Life” April 2015
“Dreaming: A Yoga Sequence to Inspire” April 2015
“What Happens in the Stillness” February 2015
Cedar & Soul
Contributor
“Healing Movement: He Set My Feet to Dancing” April 2015
“Blooms Among the Ash” March 2015
“Wild Romance: Alive and Whispering” February 2015 [poetry]
“The Year of the Good Stuff” January 2015
Cozy Orange
blog
Contributor
“To Show Up” September, 2014
“Fearlessly Flying” July 2014
Euphemism
Volume 8.1
“Creation” [poetry] Fall 2013
“Cleaning the Tank” [poetry] Fall 2013
Kid Lit Exchange
Reviewer
Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner [young adult]
The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange [middle grade]
This is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins [picture book]
Nerdy Book Club
Guest contributor
"Seeking Adventure for the New Year? Ten Middle Grade books for Adventure" December 2017
“A Top Ten List: Books that Heal” July 2014
“Becoming Nancy Harriet” August 2013
Over the Moon Magazine
Columnist
“How to Imagine Your Way Out of Writer’s Block” May 2015
“I Wish I Had Her Job” April 2015
“How to Date Yourself” March 2015
“Open Your Heart Through Yoga” January 2015
“Remembering the True Meeting of Christmas” December 2014
“A Moment of Bliss: DIY Holiday Mochas” December 2014
“Meeting God on the Mat” November 2014