My latest YA novel, Spotlight, is not remotely about me, yet has so much of me in it. It is definitely more connected to who I was, who I am, and my life experiences than my other three YA novels.

I had two teachers who made such a difference in my sense of self that I am convinced they changed the trajectory of my life. Autumn, the main character in Spotlight, is also fortunate to have one of those special educators. I had such great pleasure writing that teacher through Autumn���s lens.

Those in the educational field do not often get to see the impact they have on the future of their students. And some days it���s tough for them to believe that what they do is worth the sleepless nights. But, it is the faith that they can somehow make a difference that drives the great ones. I always thought this short adaptation, called The Starfish, captured that perfectly. The boy���s words became my mantra as a teacher and as a principal, so it���s not entirely surprising that the concept has found its way into my writing.

I look forward to you meeting Autumn and seeing her special relationship with her music teacher. Here���s to all the educators who pick up starfish every day.