I love writing from multiple points of view and wrestling with the challenge of weaving different voices and writing styles together. It can be very difficult to balance the various perspectives throughout a novel and to know when a particular character needs to take center stage. As I wrote and got to know the characters, Cora’s journals and online conversations with Joseph Wither emerged as the focal points of the novel.

Another challenge I faced was to make sure that I captured the voice of twelve-year-old Cora in her journals and other communications. As an adult, it can be easy to forget what it’s like to be a preteen. To help with this, I thought back to my experiences as a classroom teacher and instructional coach. I also visited with younger family members for feedback so that as I wrote in Cora’s voice, I could do it accurately and honestly.

The novel jumps back and forth in time, making it a challenge to keep the movements of the characters straight. To help, I created an extensive timeline that I taped to the wall so I could refer to it as I wrote, adding and moving events as the story evolved. I also created a handwritten map of Pitch, the fictional town where the story takes place, and had it right next to me as I worked so I could get the characters where they needed to be. Having these visuals was crucial for me as the story grew.

You are a school curriculum coordinator and also a mother. In your observations, how has social media changed the way young girls like Cora behave and interact with their peers?

The internet and social media have become so ingrained in our cultural fabric it sometimes feels like we’ve never been without them. Over the years, as an educator and as a mother I’ve seen how social media often replaces face-to-face interactions between young people and their peers. As a result, I think some are emboldened by immediacy and the impersonal nature of chatting via social media, and misunderstandings and hurt feelings are compounded. Then there’s the permanency of what is posted on social media—what is posted has a life beyond what many kids (and adults!) understand.

On the other hand, I’ve also seen some positive things associated with some of these platforms. Students today are using social media for social action and for discovering different perspectives and ideas. What’s crucial is that children learn how to navigate and use social media judiciously and appropriately. Nothing can ever replace person-to-person interactions.

As an avid reader, what are some of the books and authors that have inspired your own writing?

I think everything I’ve read over the years has influenced and inspired my writing, but a few standouts come to mind.