Better than a Goldfish

June 1, 2023.Reading time 5 minutes.

Lions to the Rescue wins a Selah Award! . . . When I was a kid, I won a goldfish at a carnival. The fish was swimming in circles in a small, round bowl surrounded by other goldfish swimming in circles in small, round bowls. The goal was to toss a ping pong ball into this segregated school of fish and hope the ping pong ball would somehow defy physics and actually stick a landing on the surface of the water in one of the bowls.

Big Bookish Announcement (& Giveaway)!

April 8, 2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Big book news! And a giveaway to celebrate.

Schooled by Crows and Creation

April 7, 2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Crow research and cappuccinos were the order of the afternoon…

Writing and Publishing Christian Fiction

January 24, 2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

A question I often get from writers is how I naturally (or “gently,” as some readers have said) meld faith and fiction in my children’s books. I answer this question and others in this interview with Timarie Friesen of the GCD Writers’ Guild.

The real enemy of the creative

January 11, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Sylvia Plath said, “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” In her journal, she ends a long paragraph about having the guts to write, to make a creative life, with: “You big baby.” I’ve said this to myself after long paragraphs full of the same admonishments. But, “Don’t be a big baby” doesn’t help me.

Cyber Monday book deal! Half off a whole book :)

November 28, 2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

Hello, everyone, this is a quick note to let you know that the four books in my Tree Street Kids series for young readers (8-12) is 50% off today only, Monday, Nov. 28, at Moody Publishers. Here’s the direct link to get the special pricing. The series makes a great gift for kids and their […]

Meet the “Master of Sketchery,” an interview with Aedan Peterson

August 8, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

Wondering who created the delightful covers and interior illustrations of the Tree Street Kids series? It’s Aedan Peterson! I’ve loved working with Aedan and know you’ll enjoy hearing more about his art, his process, and an exciting new project you and your family will love!

A special invite for my blog readers

March 27, 2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

I wondered: How could I bring my blog followers, Instagram friends, and Tree Street Kids readers together in one space to serve you all better…AND escape the whims of the social media algorithm gods? The answer…

Do You “Censor” What Your Kids Read?

November 18, 2021.Reading time 2 minutes.

Amanda Cleary Eastep Do you censor the books your children read? This was a question a mother of young readers asked on Instagram. She explained that she doesn’t — she believes her children will quickly become bored with certain scenarios–such as a teen romance–and simply toss that book aside. Maybe the same way kids might […]

The Final (or Possibly Second-to-Last) Frontier: Guest post at The Glorious Table

April 27, 2021.Reading time 1 minute.

We’re moving. Or, at least, we’re attempting to. So far we’ve made it a half mile down the road to my folks’ place. But at least it’s a step in the eastward direction we’re heading. We sold our home in November, packed nearly every earthly possession into storage, and squashed into my parents’ suburban ranch. […]