What's New

September 18, 2009-Sara is a guest blogger on Canadian novelist Donna Carrick's blog. Sara gives her two cents and some tips on how to be a successful writing parent.

September 2009-Sara introduces her newest writing workshop for kids "What's the Scoop: How to Write Fun, Informative Nonfiction".

August 2009-Sara's piece on salmonella and peanut butter, "When Peanuts Were Poison" runs in this month's issue of Homeland Security Today.

August 7-10, 2009-Sara is off to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator's annual conference in Los Angeles. This year, she is bringing some young adult historical fiction along. With the Gotham Girls unable to attend this year, Sara rooms with one of Arizona's coolest authors, Brooke Bessesen. A naturalist and award-winning picture book author, Brooke is the founder of Authors for Earth Day. Sara also had her picture taken with one of her writing idols, Richard Peck. *squee!*

July 2009-Sara shares some Japanese secrets on how to make healthy, waste-free, artistic lunches for your kids in "Beautiful Obento Boxes" for Mothering Magazine. Sara contributed some of the photos for the shoot--her first time photographing food. Itadakemasu!

July 2009-Sara was in Japan when H1N1 started circulating. She chronicles her experience in the short essay "A Preview of Pandemic" for Homeland Security Today.

April-May 2009-Konnichi wa! Sara and famly are off to Japan to catch the last of the cherry blossoms and to discover parts of Japan they've never seen before.

April 2009-Sara teaches "Music to Massage the Muse" and a new workshop on newspaper writing to kids at Montessori Education Center in Mesa.

March 28, 2009-Sara and Gotham Girl Emily Goodman present "Filling the Writer's Toolbox: Craft, Creativity, and Connections" as part of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators of Arizona's Home-Grown Series.

January-February 2009-Sara goes to Montessori Education Center in Mesa to teach "Music to Massage the Muse" to some of the school's second and third graders.

January 2009-Sara's article "Arizona Under Napolitano" runs in Homeland Security Today. Sara writes about former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano's move to Washington, D.C. and what it might mean to national policy. Homeland Security Today--January 2009.

November 15, 2008-Happy National I Love to Write Day! Sara runs her workshop "Music to Massage the Muse" at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe for kids 7-12 years old.

October 2008-Sara's article "Dejima: Window to the West" runs in Learning Through History's Dutch Golden Age-themed issue. Learn more about how the Dutch influenced Japanese culture and medicine here: The History Shop - Learning Through History Single & Back Issues

September 2008-Sara's article "Raising Talented Kids" runs in Raising Arizona Kids. Sara talks with Valley families struggling to help their super-talented child reach his or her highest potential.

Raising Arizona Kids Magazine | Arizona parenting magazine, tips, resource, activities in Phoenix

August 18, 2008-Sara participates in the panel "How to Write for Children and Teens" at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, AZ. The panel also includes J. S. Lewis [GREY GRIFFINS series]. Janette Rallison [REVENGE OF THE CHEERLEADERS, IT'S A MALL WORLD AFTER ALL], Robert Mesta [CONDOR: SPIRIT OF THE CANYON], and Christianne Meneses Jacobs, editor of IGUANA, the only Spanish-language magazine for children in the United States.

August 1-4, 2008-Sara, along with "Gotham Girls" Terry (L) and Emily (R), attend the 37th annual SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles. Award-winning authors Bruce Coville, Mark Teague, and Susan Patron inspire conference attendees with their speeches. The GGs bust into a frenzied happy dance after Sara's critique which included the words, "This is fantastic. I want this." <fingers crossed> The GGs attend the "Paint the Town Red"-themed party.

July 2008-In this week's tie-in with Raising Arizona Kids Magazine, Channel 12 news anchor Lin Sue Cooney features Sara's article, "Back to School...for Mom", in the segment "Trading Home Life for Homework: Parents Returning to School."

Raising Arizona Kids - 12 News - azcentral.com

July 2008-Sara's article "Back to School...for Mom" runs in Raising Arizona Kids. Sara talks with moms who've decided to go back to school and ways to help your family adjust to the often life-changing event.

Raising Arizona Kids Magazine | Arizona parenting magazine, tips, resource, activities in Phoenix

June 2008-Ni hao and Konnichi wa! Sara and her family go to China and Japan for the month. Sara ditches her laptop and relies on pen and paper during the trip to China. She also takes tons of pictures and plans to mine some great travel stories/articles later out of her research. After settling in at her in-law's in Japan, Sara visits a Saturday enrichment class for 2nd-4th graders in Anjou to talk about life in Arizona and to teach "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." Sara's scorpion paper weight, a.k.a. Fred, is always a hit with the kids.

May 17, 2008-Sara attends the "Welcome to Our House" annual event put on by SCBWI-Arizona. Editors, an agent, and an art director fill attendees in on new trends, what they are looking for in a manuscript, and how to improve your craft. Sara submits part of Peach Pits, Pantaloons, and the Purple Plague [YA historical fiction] for the free 1-page anonymous critique and for a paid consultation. She receives both kind words and helpful suggestions on how to make this project, in its very beginning stage, better.

SCBWI Arizona :: Events Calendar 2008

May 2008-Sara's article "Entre Dos Mundos" runs in Iguana. While in Japan last summer, Sara chronicled the daily life of her friend's daughter, Risako. Sara provided several of the photos for the piece. Iguana is currently the only Spanish language magazine available for children in America.

Iguana

April 2008-Like mother, like daughter. Nine-year-old Katie receives her first magazine credit by submitting her "green" idea to Faces for their Earth Day issue. Sara provides the photos of Katie and part of her obento lunch for the piece.

Faces [Carus Publishing]

March 2008-In this month's The Writer, you can find Sara quoted in Jean Reidy's article "Ten Methods to Ease into New Markets" (p. 40).

The Writer Magazine March 2008

February 2008-Sara's essay "The Rocking Chair" comes out in the latest of the Chicken Soup installments, Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Tribute to Moms.

HCI-Online Books - Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Tribute to Moms

January 2008-Super Bowl XLII comes to Arizona, and Sara's article about it, "High Noon in the Valley of the Sun", runs in Homeland Security Today magazine. Though Sara has served as photographer on several of her magazine assignments, this is the first time one of her pictures has made the front cover.

Homeland Security Today January 2008

December 2007-Sara gives her 2 cents on being a children's magazine writer in Write4Kids.com's e-book I Wish Someone Had Told Me That: 64 Successful Children's Authors Give You the Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them. Fellow Gotham Girl Emily Goodman is also featured in the e-book.

October 19, 2007-In this week's tie-in with Raising Arizona Kids Magazine, Channel 12 news anchor Lin Sue Cooney features Sara's article, "Roller Mamas", about local moms who compete in roller derby.

October 2007-Sara's article "Roller Mamas" appears in this month's issue of Raising Arizona Kids Magazine.

http://www.raisingarizonakids.com

September 26, 2007-Good Morning America's "Take Control of Your Life" tour with Tory Johnson rolls into Phoenix and Sara joins hundreds of businesswomen in the Valley at 5 a.m. to go live on national TV. Sara was there promoting freelance writers and Girl Scouts.

http://www.womenforhire.com/takecontrol

September 23, 2007-Sara enters the blogosphere! Sara joins the ladies at Mom's Zone to host her own blog Girl Talk over a Cup of Joe.

August/September 2007-See Sara's article "Rethink Your Child's Lunchbox" in this month's issue of Shoprite Family Magazine.
http://www.shoprite-digital.com/shoprite/200708_srfm/?pg=6

August 3-6, 2007-Sara, along with "Gotham Girls" Terry (L) and Emily (R), attend the 36th annual SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles. Award-winning authors Linda Sue Park and Kirby Larson wow the GGs with their inspirational talks.

 

August 3, 2007-In this week's tie-in with Raising Arizona Kids Magazine, Channel 12 news anchor Lin Sue Cooney features Sara's article, "When Does Social Eating Become a Life or Death Event?", about local children with severe food allergies.

August 2007-Sara's article "When Does Social Eating Become a Life or Death Event?" appears in this month's issue of Raising Arizona Kids Magazine.
http://www.raisingarizonakids.com

August 2007-Sara's article "Operation Jump Start: Watching Me, Watching You", about National Guard members patrolling the Arizona border, runs in Homeland Security Today. Sara was also the photographer for the piece.
http://www.hstoday.us

July 2007-Sara wins 2nd place in the young adult division of SmartWriter.com's 2007 Write It Now! Competition for her YA historical fiction novel Whispers from the Desert.

June 2007-Sara and her family make their annual summer trip to Japan to visit family members. While there, Sara teaches English classes at Shiroyama Junior High School in Komano. She also returns for the third year to Shokaku Elementary School in Gifu to teach English through games, skits, and--Sara's favorite device--BOOKS!  Here, Sara is reading Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar in the traditional Japanese story-telling form of kamishibai. One day, Sara hopes to be able to read her own book, Koji and the Dragonfly, to classes at Shokaku Elementary school in kamishibai form.