Writing for Young People

“That’s the power of a diverse book. You can change everything for one kid, and create empathy in 100 more.”– Kelsey W.

I love writing my series for young people, The Linda Tassel Mysteries. My Nancy Drew is Linda Tassel, a bridge person between her mother’s Snowbird Cherokee of the Eastern Nation, and her father’s Anglo cultures. Unlike Nancy, she ages in my series as we follow her adventures Her relationship with her friend Tad Gist also deepens and sparks into love.

The first in the series, Death at Little Mound, recently was a semi finalist in the Dante Rossetti Awards for YA novels, and won a first place in the Mystery and Mayhem Awards.

This summer the second book in the series was published: Missing at Harmony Festival. I think my wonderful publisher BWL’a cover captures the spirit of the story.

Awards Season, Part 2

As this year-like-no-other continues, so does book awards season. First newsboy: the delight– Seven Aprils has just achieved finalist status in the Laramie Award for Americana fiction, and the Chatelaine Award for Romantic fiction. Wow, thought, I…Lovely Bellingham Washington, here, I come for the Chanticleer International Conference and Awards dinner! That was back in April…until it was moved to September. Now plans are for the whole shebang to go into Zoomlandia. But, stay tuned, of course!

How I will treasure my friends and family in person when Covid-19 is done with us!

I hope you are faring well and escaping into good stories!

When stressed…have a Vermont maple creemie!

Me, I’m looking for my tiara…one can never overdress for an awards ceremony via Zoom.

Laramie Award for Western, Pioneer, & Civil War Historical Fiction Novels, and First Nations Novels
Chatelaine Award for Romantic Fiction
Tiara? Crown? Flowers? Hmmm, this one is nice…
Over the top?
Very Vermonty!

Awards Season, Part 1

The Laramie Award for outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels.

Awards season is upon us! As my daughter dresses to attend the Emmys out in Hollywood, I’m happy to announce that my Civil War-set novel, Seven Aprils has made two awards long lists! The first is the Laramie Award. What a joy to take my place among authors who love writing about American history!

The second list is for the Chatelaine Award…

The Chatelaine is given to outstanding works in the genre of  Romantic and Women’s Fiction. I was fortunate enough to receive a First Place in this award for my romantic suspense novel Watch Over Me in 2018.

Aren’t they both cool logos? That is because both the Laramie Book Awards and the Chatelaine Awards are divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards, and its talented designers.

Honored to be long-listed!

The 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Washington. It is a fun evening and a beautiful ceremony. I loved meeting and celebrating with authors from all over the world. I hope Seven Aprils advances further so that I get to attend. I will invite my Hollywood daughter…maybe she can wear her Emmy dress again!

Hollywood Marya and her very Vermonty mom!