I’m an author, speaker, and middle school English teacher who is passionate about bringing stories of hope and faith to others, especially students and my fellow educators!
I’m an author, speaker, and middle school English teacher who is passionate about bringing stories of hope and faith to others, especially students and my fellow educators! I began my career as a high school teacher but soon moved to the middle school level, where kids still want to answer teachers’ questions. 🙂
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 as Highlights, as well as being published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: From Lemons to Lemonade and 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. 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.”
Since then, I’ve had two books for teachers and catechists 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 and A Saint Squad for Teachers: 45 Heavenly Friends to Carry You Through the School Year.
I now lead retreats and professional development days for Catholic school teachers and catechists across the country.
Writing about Mother Cabrini for my Saint Squad for Teachers book led me on a journey into all of her retreat journals and letters. In them, I found great spiritual wisdom that I knew had to be shared with the world.
The result is my latest book Hope Without Border: 30 Days with Frances Xavier Cabrini. In this 30-day retreat, you’ll encounter a daily passage from either her retreat journals or her letters, a thought for the day, and a prayer to end your day.
