From Atlanta to Washington DC to Rio de Janeiro to Vitoria, Brazil and finally back to Atlanta in June 2020. (Yes. 2020.) In high school, I studied French. In college, Arabic. In grad school, I studied political campaigns in India. I considered a lot of life possibilities but living in Brazil, anywhere in South America, was never one of them. Then I met and married the smartest man I’ve ever known, who happened to be from Rio de Janeiro.
After four years in Rio, we moved to Vitoria where our beautiful daughter was born. I taught Brazilian high school students American curriculum language arts and economics. Thanks to me there are at least 200 Brazilians who understand how the US Federal Reserve System works. At least we all did at the time.
I’ve been a reader my whole life but only became serious about writing when I started blogging about my experiences as an American in Brazil shortly after arriving in 2006. I contributed essays to the anthologies Once Upon an Expat and Knocked Up Abroad Again. My guest posts and articles have appeared on Multicultural Kids Blog, Pack-N-Go Girls, and Hackwriters.com.
Then about a decade ago, I tried to find picture books in English about Brazil for my little Brazilian-American and came up with almost nothing. I expanded my search to chapter books, young adult and with growing disbelief I looked for any fiction book with a connection to Brazil.
My research made one thing clear. In the United States, it’s easier to find a book set in outer space than in Brazil.
Eventually I had a radical idea. Maybe I could write the book I wanted to find.
After nine years of writing, three polished novels, more than 150 query letters, two years out on submission to editors, my first novel, Jaguars and Other Game, debuted with Orange Blossom Publishing in November, 2022.
I’m represented by the wonderful Kaitlyn Katsoupis of Belcastro Agency who has patiently stuck with me as I struggled to write while managing pandemic life, moving internationally, and single-parenting a virtual schooler. I can’t wait to see where this crazy industry will take us.
Things I love:
Travel – Admittedly doing less of it since becoming a parent but now that Kiddo’s older we’ve got some new adventures planned!
Musical Theater – Long before Hamilton, my ’98 Honda Accord was filled with CD soundtracks for Rent, Jekyll & Hyde, & Scarlet Pimpernel.
French Fries – I know how bad they are for you. I don’t care. Something kills us all eventually.
Puzzle Games – The Room series, Sailor’s Dream, Device 6. I played them obsessively until solved. I only download new games if I’m between drafts because I will literally not do anything else with my afternoons.
Animals – Dogs, cats, parrots, iguanas. If there’s an animal encounter option on any trip that’s the first thing I’m signing us up for.
The Beach – Moving to a beach city made me an addict. I can sit with my toes in the sand listening to the waves for hours.
Chocolate Croissants – Nothing goes better with coffee. This topic is closed to comments.
