Cover design by Emil Wilson
READ ME
How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies was published by Andrews McMeel in 2022. A hybrid memoir about my journey to write a novel (MoonPies & Movie Stars) and a how-to on perseverance for you to do the same. Of course, there are some pie recipes, my faves. I’m proud to say my novel went on to be an LA Times bestseller. I wrote a memoir because I said I never would. I’m like that. When We Were Ghouls is the story of my family’s adventures living in Africa and South America.
WRITE WITH ME
Whether you want to travel to a chateau in France, or a little cottage in my backyard, I have all sorts of retreats and workshops in my apron pockets. I was Associate Director at the NY State Summer Writers Institute for 7 years, and before that I was the writer-in-residence. I teach novel and memoir writing, edit manuscripts, and my favorite all-time job is teaching personal storytelling to the kids at Ocean Discovery Institute—I mentor Science and Engineering students on personal essays, even kindergartners!
Photos by Daniella DeVarney Photography
EAT WITH ME
As a kid I was a chicken pot pie fanatic. Today I bake any kind of pie. If you can dream it, I will bake it. Savory Salons is my way of bringing pies and writing together. At all my retreats we eat and bake pie together (we all need comfort when writing). And, I started Pie for Pi bake sale to learn about comfort foods from other cultures.