About Me

As a little kid, I wanted to be a circus ringmaster when I grew up. I had no idea what a ringmaster was. I just knew it performed in front of crowds. I've always had a flair for drama. In third grade, my friend, Katie, coerced me into reading a book from the bestselling Baby-sitters Club series. I fell in love (with The Baby-sitters Club, not with Katie). That’s when I threw away my circus dreams and decided I wanted to write for kids—to create stories that would make readers as excited as The Baby-sitters Club made me.

Fresh from undergrad, I landed a gig directing high school plays. Not long after, I started writing plays for my students. My first play, A Family Reunion to Die For (co-written with my brother, Matt), was a hit within the school community and led to my first publishing deal. Since then, I’ve written seven additional full-length plays specifically for the school play and theater for young audiences markets. I love hearing from students who’ve performed in productions of my plays.

A few years ago, I came up with an idea for a new story. This one seemed better-suited as a traditional book. I’d spent nearly a decade writing exclusively for the stage, though. I wondered if I’d be able to shift my skills to a new format. There was only one way to find out ... I spent many, many afternoons sitting on the couch drafting a middle-grade novel (thankfully, The Baby-sitters Club had taught me the structure of middle-grade). I finished a first draft and edited. Then I edited and edited and edited some more. Lucky draft #24 was accepted for publication by Creative James Media (draft #27 is what will actually be in print). My debut novel, Not Lucille, will be available on June 24, 2025. I’m excited for you to read the story!

You may be wondering what I do with my life besides go back and forth in an endless cycle of drafting and editing. I now work as an elementary school librarian (of course I still help out with the school plays). My hobbies include going to the theater, hunting for geocaches, creating mixed-media collages, playing claw machines, and taking long walks that get me lost but also help me discover fun places. I have two perfect cats named Karen and Sox who take turns sitting in my lap as I write. I also have an affinity for bubble tea. I recently moved from Brooklyn to the Jersey Shore where I hope to attempt mudlarking someday soon.

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My first published play

I can write anywhere

I hop onstage any chance I get

F.A.Q. 

This section should really be titled A.Q. I’m nowhere near popular-enough to get asked any question frequently. Below, you'll find questions kids have emailed me in the past …
 

​Q: What’s your best advice for kids who want to be writers when they grow up?

A: Sit down and write. You can’t be a writer until you write. Once you write, you’re a writer. Really. Just do it. Start writing.


Q: What’s your writing process like?

A: I tend to start by thinking of a scenario that has the potential to lead to a full story (i.e. - Cinderella’s godmother has an adventure of her own while Cinderella's at the ball). I stew over the scenario for a while—sometimes years—usually as I lie in bed trying to fall asleep. Once I figure out how the story will begin (not necessarily how it'll end), I write the opening scene or chapter. This helps me establish traits for my main characters. Then I outline the rest of the story. I like to know where I’m going with each new beat. At this point, I’m ready to write, write, write. In case you're wondering, that scenario featuring Cinderella’s godmother turned into my play I Wish …


Q: Do you write every day?

A: If emails count, I write every day. But I don’t actively work on a creative writing piece every day. I tend to be productive in spurts. I might crank out a full-length work over the course of a few weeks and then not write anything substantial for several months. Deadlines help me. If I don’t have a deadline from an editor, I try to create a deadline for myself.


Q: Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, how do you get past it?

A: I sometimes find myself stuck for ideas. If I’m in the middle of a story, I force myself to write. I do my best to keep the plot moving, even if it’s not going where I want it to go. I can always delete what I don't like later. It's when I’m between stories that pushing through writer’s block is hardest. I always eventually think of a new story idea.

Q: When was your first book published?

A: My debut middle-grade novel, Not Lucille, will be published by Creative James Media on June 24, 2025.


Q: When was your first play published?

A: A Family Reunion to Die For was published by Pioneer Drama Service in 2011.


Q: How many plays have you written?

A: I've written eight full-length plays (some I co-wrote with other playwrights). My plays available for production are I Wish ..., A Family Reunion to Die For, Prince of My Dreams, Offed at the Bake-Off, An All You Can Murder Buffet, Murderous Night at the Museum, Till Death Do Them Part, and an adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin. Click here to learn more about each play and to read script samples.


Q: Did you always want to be a playwright?

A: I didn’t want to write plays in particular, but I knew I wanted to write stories that would make kids laugh. I fell into playwriting as I was directing school plays. It provided many opportunities to laugh with my students. If you’ve ever been involved in a school play, you know how much fun it is.
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Q: Some of your plays were written with other people. Who are these co-writers?

A: My brother, Matt, is often part of my writing team. He's a professional actor and brings an understanding of an actor's needs to the playwriting process. Some of my former students joined us as co-writers on a few plays, as well.


Q: Why are so many of your plays murder mysteries?

A: The first play I wrote for my students was a murder mystery because that's the type of show the school wanted to produce. This genre's popular with high schools. I wrote several additional murder mysteries because I figured they were likely to get produced. Fractured fairy tales tend to be popular with elementary schools, and I've written a few of those, as well.


Q: If you weren't a writer or teacher, what would you do with your life?

A: I'd probably be unhappy. I guess I'd shift to working in some other art form—maybe film or television production. Finally joining the circus and working my way up to ringmaster's never out of the question, either.


Q: Can you write a play for my school or youth theater company?​

A: I'm located in New Jersey, United States, but I'm happy to write for drama clubs or theater companies in other parts of the world as long as they’re open to a remote development process. Feel free to contact me with an inquiry.