This segment will focus on Vietnam and Cambodia. I’ll cover Thailand in a future post. TRAVEL TIPS FOR VIETNAM: We only had a week in Vietnam, but we could’ve happily spent a full month there. So much to see and do! We were there during the month of January, which meant the evenings in Hanoi… Read more »
Happy 2018! I don’t know about you, but I’m super excited about this year! Politics and other heavy concerns aside, there are some good things in store. For one, my debut picture book, THE TURTLE SHIP, will be released this year! Check out the gorgeous cover above, which is provided courtesy of brilliant artist Colleen… Read more »
I recently read an awesome article in the NY Times entitled “My Year of No Shopping” by the writer Ann Patchett (Bel Campo, State of Wonder). It’s fantastic. The longest I’ve gone without buying a single item of clothes, shoes or accessories was two months. Yes, it was refreshing to press that pause button on… Read more »
We got a puppy!!! His name is Sherwin. Why the name Sherwin? Because that was almost my husband’s name, until his parents decided to name him Eugene instead. We thought Sherwin was too awesome a name to waste, so we put it to good use 🙂 Anyway, everyone always says that puppies are a lot… Read more »
Our puppy Sherwin is four months old today. During our first few days together, I seriously didn’t know if I had the chops to raise a pup. Rather than being overwhelmed by Sherwin’s cuteness, I was overwhelmed by a deep and strange depression. You see, I grew up with dogs and have always prided myself… Read more »
The mall in Century City has been undergoing a massive $1 billion makeover, and last night, some of the more famous new spots finally opened. One being Mario Batali’s Eataly. The other being Apple’s new location near the huge, shiny Nordstrom. And oh, the French boutique Equipment with their buttery silk blouses, which I absolutely… Read more »
LONG POST ALERT! You have been warned. Preface 1: The title of this post is a redundant phrase because Paris is basically an introvert’s paradise. The French in general are a lot more reserved and introverted than, say, Americans. But anyway, let’s carry on… Preface 2: The places mentioned below can get packed, but I… Read more »
[NOTE: When I was writing away years ago with no publishing deal in sight, I was always curious to know what the exciting parts of a writer’s life are actually like (not the hard part where you sit for hours at your computer — I already knew enough about the hard part!). So I hope… Read more »
We went on a fantastic Flavors of Lucca food tour in Italy last month. The short review: It was super comprehensive and we made so many stops for tastings, viewings, etc. We thought the tour was only supposed to last about 2.5 hours, but it lasted an entire 4 hours, full of delicious tastings that… Read more »
When I first went to the Côte d’Azur over fifteen years ago, I quickly realized which areas I loved and which areas I didn’t. I loved Saint Paul de Vence, Èze and St. Tropez. Notice I didn’t mention the big cities. So when we went last month, I already had the “dream itinerary” in mind…. Read more »
The weather in L.A. on this #mlkday is a bit ridiculous (near 80 degrees!), so I did some quick outdoor sketches of my favorite nude model, who can’t seem to hold a pose for longer than 5 seconds. Fortunately, the general shape is the same from every angle: muscular potato 🥔 #sherwinthedog #frenchiesofinstagram
Sherwin is now used to seeing us in face masks, but he still looks troubled whenever I put on a Korean sheet mask. Scroll to see what I mean... 😱🤗
Years ago when I was trying to find a literary agent to represent my unpublished story, The Paper Kingdom, one agent sent me a “colorful” rejection with the note: “I don’t know any editors or publishing houses that would want your story.” I almost gave up. Almost. I hope that agent has been paying attention to these amazing year-end lists. Fellow creators, don’t give up on the projects you believe in. When the going gets tough, the tough get to work!! Thank you, all, and happy holidays ❤️
So grateful that The Paper Kingdom is among the amazing books on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2020 and Amazon’s Best Children’s Books of 2020! What a tough year to launch a new book, given all the canceled events, production delays, shutdowns, etc., so my heartfelt gratitude goes to @kirkus_reviews and @amazonbooks, and of course, to all of you—my wonderful friends, family, readers and fellow creators. Your book love means so much to me! Please be well and stay safe as we reach the end of this nutty year! ❤️#childrensbooks #kidlit
Sherwin enjoys his daily apple. Sound up for the satisfying cronch! #asmr #sherwinthedog #frenchiesofinstagram
