I’m an author, speaker, and middle school English teacher who is passionate about books for kids, especially those for the age group I teach! I began my career as a high school teacher but soon moved to the middle school level, where kids actually want to answer teachers’ questions. š
Because I believe in practicing what I preach and don’t believe in the saying, “Those that can, do; those that can’t, teach,” I’m also a writer. I’ve had several short stories and articles published in children’s magazines, such asĀ Highlights, as well as being published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: From Lemons to LemonadeĀ andĀ Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Great Kids.
In April 2015, my young adult novel Angelhood was released by Vinspire Publishing and immediately became an Amazon bestseller for Christian teen fiction on social issues. It has also won a Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction-Religion/Spirituality from the Moonbeam Children’s Books Awards and an Honorable Mention for Young Adult Fiction–Social Issues from the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
In August 2016, my second book was released by Vinspire Publishing.Ā Seven Riddles to Nowhere is a fast-paced mystery about a seventh grader trying to save his Catholic school from closing. All he has to do to win the money necessary to save his school is be the first to win a series of seven riddles that lead him on a scavenger hunt through the churches of Chicago. Seven Riddles to Nowhere is used in Catholic schools across America and Australia. It has won a Catholic Press Association book award.
In 2020, I finished my doctoral degree at Loyola University Chicago, where I received an Ed.D. (the education equivalent of a Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction. My dissertation was entitled, “Engendering Empathy for Immigrants in Middle Grade Readers Through Culturally Relevant Young Adult Literature.”
In 2021, my first nonfiction book was published by Ave Maria Press. Check out Sweet Jesus, Is It June Yet?: 10 Ways the Gospels Can Help You Combat Teacher Burnout and Rediscover Your Passion for Teaching. (If you’re a principal or DRE, contact me for special bulk pricing to buy 5 or more copies for your teachers or catechists.)
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