About
Here's my story...
My love for words began as a kid, when I devoured Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic and then spent my recesses writing my own book of silly poems, which I gifted to my former preschool teacher. In 6th grade, I tried my hand at a more serious, heartfelt poem, which I took with me to my first writing conference/workshop in 7th grade. It was at one of those workshops that I discovered my written words held power to evoke emotion in others. As a very shy kid, who often felt I had very little impact on the world around me, I thought that was pretty cool. I've been writing ever since.
In 2017, my first official publication came, with my short story "A Returned Reward" being published in Chicken Soup For the Soul: Inspiration for Teachers. It was around this same time, in the midst of a sweet season of mothering my babies, that I completely fell in love with the genre of picture books. With my 2 small daughters nestled onto my lap, reading time became my favorite time of the day. Their voices begging "again!" coupled with their infectious, uncontrollable laughter, and snuggling into me just a bit closer during tender moments, are memories that I will treasure forever. It's my desire to put material out into the world that fosters these same sweet memorable moments for others, and in a way that's entertaining and touching for both child and parent alike.
My art journey began young as well. As a child, I covered every inch of my 3rd grade yellow composition book with drawings of my favorite cartoon characters. I drew in the margins of worksheets and school notes constantly, and studied artists I admired. I received my first commissions at age 16, and went on to paint many portraits, landscapes and murals. In 2016, I opened my Etsy shop, Mommy's Heart Prints, where I create customizable art that highlights the tenderness of the mother-child relationship. It has since morphed from it's original design into a ministry to mothers who've experienced the loss of a child.
I've spent the past year as a Children's Ministry Director, writing scripts and developing the program for our kinder-first grade students, which has further honed my skills and taught me to work on a deadline.
I'm now entering a new season of fully embracing this creative call on my life. As I look back, I can easily see how God used all these pieces to prepare me for the road ahead. And as I look to the future, I trust He's got good plans for me, and that picture books will be a part of that.
I am represented by Kristen Terrette of Martin Literary Management.