Religion, Historical Fiction, and the American Pope
Portraying Catholic characters and the Catholic Church in my historical fiction in the context of the American prelate Leo XIV's election as the new pope.
PEN World Voices Festival: ArtLords Community Mural
A mural created by the ArtLords collective from Afghanistan, which brings its message of peace and community engagement to the world.
An Activism Panel in Texas
A sneak preview of my panel with acclaimed MG and YA authors at the Texas Library Association meeting, which will be my debut appearance there.
Paying for Our Own Oppression
At tax time, reflections on a Chilean duo that also resisted a dictatorship.
Global and International Literature for Kids at nErDcampCT
Why we need portrayals of life outside our own country, including literature in translation.
What’s in a Name?
A response to the announcement of an Executive Order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico and Google's rapid compliance with this decree.
Publishers Speak Out Against Book Bans
A creative effort by one of my publishers to raise money and awareness to fight book bans as well as attacks on authors and freedom of expression.
Giving Characters Agency in Restricted Spaces
How writers can give their protagonists agency even if the characters are very young or live in very restricted environments.
Not Obeying in Advance
Not taking down my blog or my more political posts is part of my decision not to "obey in advance" given the possibility of a more repressive regime.
The Lost Democracies of the 21st Century
A discussion of the fates of democracies that gave way to dictatorships from the mid-1990s to the present. How many of them are democracies again?