We didn’t even notice the exact moment, we just realized that he was jumping around and laughing in the soft waves that washed over his small toes and ankles. Only months before, Finn had been terrified of the ocean, getting only close enough to let one of us hold him high above the water, so he could see the small fish swimming below. But this week, during our Thanksgiving family trip to ... Read More

A friend, knowing my next novel is set in rural Appalachia, sent me this article a few weeks ago.This friend has also had a huge amount of emotional and circumstantial upheaval in her life. She said she was feeling strip mined. Growing up, my family visited Boone, North Carolina every year—my parents are both North Carolinians, and the mountains are in our blood. From the time we were very ... Read More

It’s that time of year already—colds and flu shots, and ickiness. Finn started coughing over a week ago, and then at the beginning of this week, we had two nights of never-ending-coughing-crying-screaming, which just ripped my heart out, and left me feeling helpless and bleary-eyed. Anyone who has kids will tell you that as they get older, it’s kind of a bittersweet thing when the ... Read More