On Writing

Sisters avoid old hurts and identify safe topics to mend their broken relationship. They ask what's necessary: Admitting wrongdoing? An apology? Forgiveness?

My wonderful friend, Kathryn Gilbert, sent this photo to me. She is preparing to plant the sunflower seeds we distributed at my mother’s Celebration of Life ceremony. In my favorite photo of Mom, she is encouraging the sunflower she planted in "Oma's Patch" to grow. And it did! It grew so tall that it towered over all the raised beds at her senior residence. That summer, her Jack-in-the-Beanstalk became a ...

Always thrilling to receive mail from young readers. These wonderful illustrations are from 5th grade students at Crestview Heights Elementary School in Waldport, OR. They read IS IT NIGHT OR DAY? and MIDDLE SCHOOL SLEUTHS. Thanks to Liz Ulmer for introducing my work to her students! Wish Mom could see their work; I appreciate their condolences.

Ever wonder how National Siblings Day got started. Learn all about its founder and the controversy surrounding the day.

Religious shunning is a form of institutionalized estrangement and emotional abuse.

A series that gently introduces young readers to the Holocaust! These remarkable personal stories inspire and inform as they introduce young readers to this important chapter in history and its long reach! Ideal for middle-school discussions on moral guidance, citizenship, and historical responsibility, the books in the Legacy of the Holocaust series use photographs, texts, and historical documents to cultivate empathy in readers. * Middle School Sleuths shows how an ...

My sister, (11 months/2 weeks older than I at 70,) has not spoken to me in over 2 years. Growing up we were not particularly close as she was an overachiever and I grew up in her shadow; but we always communicated through the years and she was active in my life especially after I had my children. She had a good relationship with my daughter. However, when it became ...

Here are the links on Amazon to these three books: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQTN6PSJ?ref_=dbs_p_pwh_rwt_anx_b_lnk&storeType=ebooks

  New cover, new Author's Note, and now available as an audio book! The photo on the cover shows some of the One Thousand Children, who fled Nazi Germany for America, as they first lay eyes on the Statue of Liberty!

Researchers have largely ignored estrangement; one study quantifies the problem. Why does estrangement occur, how long does it usually last, and what do people truly desire from their close relationships? Here's what we know.