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Step outside on a sunny Florida day, and chances are you’ll catch a flicker of movement across the sidewalk or a rustle in your garden bed. A flash of green. A dash of brown. A tail slipping beneath a hibiscus leaf. Florida is crawling (quite literally) with lizards—and while some are native, many are not. … Read more
Ever wondered how you can make a real impact on Florida’s wildlife—even without being a trained biologist? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers incredible opportunities for everyday people to contribute to real research. Early results show citizen contributions are filling critical data gaps and helping professionals protect the state’s natural treasures. What … Read more
After a Florida storm—especially one that blows through with the force of summer winds—it’s not uncommon to find fragile remnants of the wild scattered beneath trees: a small egg lying in the grass, a damp nest tilted sideways, or, heartbreakingly, a tiny bird with feathers still forming. What should you do if you come upon … Read more
Some gardens live in the wild. Others live on windowsills. And some—quiet, magical, improbable—live in jars. There’s something timeless about a terrarium. Like a secret world behind glass, it asks only for a little light, a little mist, and a little faith. A mossy slope. A curled fern. A pebble path that might, just might, … Read more
A love letter to the stories that haunt us (in the best way) When people ask me why I write middle grade fiction, I sometimes want to say: because that’s where the ghosts live. Not always the sheet-draped kind, though I have a soft spot for those too. I mean the quiet ghosts—the ones we … Read more
Some of my favorite memories began when the tide went out. On quiet mornings after a storm, my dad and I would head to the shoreline—boots muddy, thermos in hand—to see what secrets the sea had left behind. Sea stars curled in tidal pools. Ancient oyster beds cracked open like fossils. The remains of forgotten … Read more
Somewhere between childhood’s wide-eyed wonder and the gritty push of adolescence, there’s a space that’s often overlooked. It’s quiet. Shifting. Tender. The world hasn’t fully asked you to grow up yet, but you know it’s coming. You start to see beneath the surface of things—friendships, family, even yourself—and you’re not sure what to do with … Read more
Some stories open like doors swinging wide. Others beckon with a whisper, asking you to lean in and listen. As a writer of middle grade fiction, I believe a first line should do more than introduce a story—it should cast a spell. When I was drafting my MG manuscript, I rewrote my opening sentence more … Read more
Not all summer reads come with sunburns and plot twists. Some drift in like dandelion seeds—soft, strange, unforgettable. These are the books you don’t race through on a beach towel. You pause. You underline. You press the cover to your heart before setting it down. Here are five books—some classic, some contemporary—that invite quiet wonder, … Read more
Some stories never need a spellbook. They cast their enchantment slowly—like the hush after a storm or the way grief makes time behave strangely. They work not through potions or portals, but through atmosphere, memory, and the kind of wonder that lingers long after the page is turned. This is the kind of magic I … Read more