What's that smell?

Some beautiful rose bushes I received came with specific instructions to use THIS fertilizer. So, as long as I was at it, I decided I may as well fertilize ALL of my roses. 🌹And NOW, my entire yard smells ever-so-faintly like a trip to the beach... 😳🥴

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Mom you can finally soar free....


I took this photo of my mom and my sister on Saturday. Last night, surrounded by family, my mother took her last breath. 🥀 She died as she lived, unpredictably and on her own timetable. One of her favorite expressions was, “Let’s just go where the wind takes us!” And, often, especially before all the illness and pain, she did. 🌬 Mom, you can finally soar free. Fly like the wind. 💫

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Mom


Last night, we admitted my mother into hospice. 😞 She was a hard drinking, hard smoking, hard living, hard swearing soul. She lived a reckless life. Four packs a day. Four marriages and countless “others.” We had a difficult, complicated relationship. To be honest, she was not a great mother; often, she was not even a marginally good mother. Our family life was filled with drama and violence and filth and a million other things I try not to think about. But, my sister, my brother and I carry her sense of humor, her intelligence, her love of people, her love of life, her work ethic. She was a big, larger-than-life personality, and, no matter what transpired, she was still our mother.

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Three Cheers for Kid McGear

Meet Kid McGear, Skid Steer—the newest character in the bestselling Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site series! 🎊 She’s small but fierce and ready to help when danger strikes the construction site. 💪🏻 THREE CHEERS FOR KID MCGEAR is coming Sept 2

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National Book Festival

I just (just!) returned from ALA in Washington, DC with many of these incredibly talented authors and illustrators. And, we’re heading back in just a few weeks — The fun begins on August 31st! 🤗❤️📚

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So Honored

Honored to lead off the children’s section of Chronicle Books’ fall frontlist catalog with my awesome, talented friends, Ethan Long and AG Ford.

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Thanks Dad!

For most of my life, my dad has been both a dad AND a mom to me. For all of those fathers who, for whatever reasons, have had to step up and play both rolls: Happy Fathers Day. ❤️

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Bigger Garage?


Sometimes, at the end of a long day on the road, you just want to play in an excavator. Because... you can. 🚧 Babe, I think we’re going to need a bigger garage. 🤔

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Funny

Convo with a 7-year-old, posted by a very close family friend. I LOVE THIS! Seriously: How can you NOT laugh???!!! 😂❤️

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Beautiful Yellow Peony

Five years ago, I planted a yellow peony bush. For THREE YEARS, it was a flowerless shrub. Last year: three flowers! 😊 This year, FIVE buds, AND the first has opened! 🤗 (Yes, I realize that I sound insane. Just humor me.)

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