I didn’t know nurses played a lot of cards while they are sitting around in hospitals. Heck, I didn’t know nurses sat around. Recently, a state senator from WallaWalla was arguing that an amendment to a bill being considered should exclude nurses in small hospitals from required breaks. Maureen Walsh said nurses at small hospitals… Continue reading Game of Cards
Category: Writing
Mat Making
What a great idea! Making mats for the homeless out of plastic bags. This is an article I wrote for the Town and Country newspaper last month. Upper Perkiomen special education teachers attending a county meeting last spring recognized the potential for a win-win-win venture in the Sleeping Mat Project sponsored by an advocacy group.… Continue reading Mat Making
The Dread–Part 2
A continuation of the prologue from my Work in Progress–Drawing Hope, a YA novel about surviving the drug abuse of friends and family. You know your parents have something to talk about when you’re not around because they keep hinting that you should start your schoolwork. So you go upstairs after dinner, but you and… Continue reading The Dread–Part 2
Drawing Hope (WIP)
My latest Work in Progress (WIP) after the publication of Internal Lockdown is a young adult novel focusing on a group of ninth graders who bond over the pain of dealing with a loved one’s substance abuse. The story is told through the eyes of Chris, who moves from North Carolina to PA with his… Continue reading Drawing Hope (WIP)
The Top of MY List!
Since Internal Lockdown came out, the response to the novel has been fabulous. Many, many people in my area have read the book and responded very favorably. One dynamic that has emerged is that people who know me–and I’ve been blessed to meet A LOT of people during 39 years of teaching–have engaged me through… Continue reading The Top of MY List!
With the Current
Writing a novel for publication is something of an exercise in idealistic hubris–reaching for the green light that is a mere flicker across the vastness of an ocean of uncertainty. Despite the odds of producing something worthy of publication, authors write on, boats against the current until one day….you get shot in your swimming pool?… Continue reading With the Current
Internal Lockdown Review
Below is an article written by Jennifer Frieze for the Town & Country Newspaper in December. We had a great interview, and Jen wrote an excellent feature Gun violence in schools has become a national epidemic in recent years. The Upper Perkiomen Valley experienced this type of violence in… Continue reading Internal Lockdown Review
Feedback
Internal Lockdown has been out about six weeks now, and there has been much positive feedback. One of the scariest parts of publishing is hoping that the writing doesn’t suck. One of the best parts of this process, however, has been hearing and reading flattering comments from friends and former students and former colleagues. Several… Continue reading Feedback
Adopting Love II
A few weeks ago I wrote about the Zezulka family and their adoption video that went viral. Recently, the family was invited onto Ellen DeGeneres’ show where they met Mark Wahlberg, who is currently starring in a movie uncannily similar to the Zezulka’s real-life situation. I wrote another news article for the Town and Country… Continue reading Adopting Love II
My Lane
It’s been a couple of weeks since my novel Internal Lockdown has come out. So far, so good on the criticisms. It has been affirming to read the positive comments. I’ve been asked to sign books–like I’m somebody important! Which of course brings up the issue of what do you say? “I hope you enjoy… Continue reading My Lane
The Q-View 