Events

2025

Underground Books: Oak Park Reads, Reading, Discussing, and Signing STRANDED (Sacramento, CA) 11/8/25

Woodward Academy: Virtual Book Club Visit, discussing STRANDED, as part of the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (College Park, GA) 10/29/25

Highlights Foundation: Four-Part Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, October 2025

Bigfoot Kids' Book Festival: Hosted by Brick & Mortar Books (Redmond, WA) 10/11/25

A Seat at the Table Books: Writing Demystified, in conversation, discussing all things writing and publishing, signing (Elk Grove, CA) 10/4/25

Chautauqua Institution: Book-in-a-Day Writing and Publishing Workshop for Children, Ages 9-12, Co-Teacher with Kwame Alexander and Ann Marie Stephens (Chautauqua, NY) 7/19-7/25/25

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, May-July, 2025

University of California, Berkeley: Guest Lecturer for Children's Literature in the Context of American Cultures course, (Berkeley, CA) 4/24/25

Korematsu Elementary School, DJUSD: Battle of the Books, Featuring STRANDED; Guest MC, (Davis, CA) 4/10/25

Yolo County Library (Mary L. Stephens Branch): In Conversation: Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations, (Davis, CA) 3/22/25

Korematsu Elementary School, DJUSD: Scholastic Book Fair Family Night, (Davis, CA) 3/17/25

Patwin Elementary School, DJUSD: Patwin Students Community Interview, (Davis, CA) 2/27/25

Basis Independent School: School Visit Assembly, 6th-11th Grades, (Fremont, CA) 2/26/25

Highlights Foundation: Four-Part Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, February 2025

A Seat at the Table Books: Black Girl Glow Black History Month Event: reading, discussion, signing, and activity (Elk Grove, CA) 2/22/25

Korematsu Elementary School: Black History Month Assembly (Davis, CA) 2/12/25

World Read Aloud Day (WRAD): Seven National Virtual Visits, 2/5/25

California School Library Association (CSLA): Annual Conference, Panelist (San Jose, CA) 2/1/25

2024

Black Creatives Children's Book Fair, Boston Public Library (Roxbury Branch): Meet and greet and signing (Roxbury, MA) 11/23/24

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference: The Black Roundtable Discussion with The Brown Bookshelf; Panel Presentation: Using Stories to Find Hope in a Climate-Changed World (with Elizabeth Blye, Ann Braden, Sayantani DasGupta, and Anne Nesbit); Signing STRANDED at the Scholastic Booth (Boston, MA) 11/21-11/23/24

Yolo County Library (Mary L. Stephens Branch): Reading and discussing STRANDED in conversation with local students (Davis, CA) 11/9/24

Rochester Children's Book Festival (Monroe Community College): Reading, presenting and discussing STRANDED, and signing (Rochester, NY) 11/2/24

Children's Fairyland Halloween Bash: Presenting, reading, and signing HALLOWEEN FRIENDS (Oakland, CA) 10/27/24 

Las Vegas Book Festival and Local School Visits (Abston Elementary, Berkley Elementary, Earl Elementary, and Mathis Elementary): Historical Fiction Panel, featuring LENA AND THE BURING OF GREENWOOD; Reading and discussing STRANDED; Book Club For Kids Live Podcast with Kitty Felde and student panelists, discussing STRANDED (Las Vegas, NV) 10/18-10/21/24

Powell's Books (Cedar Hills Crossing Location): Discussing STRANDED, in conversation with Sonja Thomas (Beaverton, OR) 9/28/24

Brick and Mortar Books: Reading and signing STRANDED and HALLOWEEN FRIENDS (Redmond, WA) 9/23/24

Children's Fairyland Children's Book Festival: Signing, meet and greet, and children's activities (Oakland, CA) 9/21/24

The Highlights Foundation Instagram Live: STRANDED Book Launch, @highlightsfound, 9/17/24

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Annual Summer Virtual Conference: Breakout Session: School's In: Writing for the Educational Market, 8/3/24

Story Time at Avid & Co.: Reading, singing, activities, and signing Our Beautiful Colors and books from the Brown Baby Parade board book series (Davis, CA) 7/17/24

American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference: Signing LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD: A TULSA RACE MASSACRE SURVIVAL STORY (San Diego, CA) 6/28/24

Yolo Juneteenth Celebration: Appearance/Signing (University of California, Davis) 6/2/24

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, April-June, 2024

Bay Area Book Festival Family Day (Berkeley Public Library): Stories for the Littlest Readers, Multi-Author Story Time, Reading and Signing Love Is All Around (Brown Baby Parade), (Berkeley, CA) 5/4/24

Carl H. Sundahl Elementary School: School Visit featuring Our Beautiful Colors, the Azaleah Lane Series, and the Girls Survive Series (Folsom, CA) 3/11/24

Virtual Book Club Author Chat: Black Girl Joy Book Club: Featuring The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane 2/25/24

Sierra Writer's Conference: Writing Workshop: Letting Your Inner Child Guide Your Writing (Rocklin, CA) 2/7/24

Ramsey County Kindergarten Library Card Program: Featuring The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane, presenting, reading, and signing (Maplewood, MN) 1/27/24

2023

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference: The Black Roundtable Discussion with The Brown Bookshelf; Panel Presentation: Using Books to Connect Young Black Children to the Self, the Family, and the Community (with Valerie Bolling and JaNay Brown-Wood) (Columbus, OH) 11/16-11/19/23

Oklahoma Teen Book Convention, Panelist: Featuring LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD, young reader roundtables, book signing (Tulsa, OK) 10/29/23

Avid Reader Davis: Featuring the Brown Baby Parade Series New Releases, Halloween Friends and Countdown to Christmas; Reading, Signing, and Activities (Davis, CA) 10/22/23

Cape Cod Cultural Center, Publishing Panel (Part of the Memoir Writing Workshop with Kwame Alexander) with Bonnie LaMon and Sarah Grace McCandless (South Yarmouth, MA) 10/9/23

Eddy Elementary and Stony Brook Elementary Schools: School Visits featuring Azaleah Lane and Girls Survive Titles (Brewster, MA) 10/5/23

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Mining Emotions and Experiences to Create Fiction" 9/30/23

Bigfoot Kids' Book Festival: Hosted by Brick & Mortar Books (Redmond, WA) 9/9/23

APPLE CORE Literacy Incentive Event: Keynote Address Las Vegas and Henderson Schools, (Las Vegas, NV) 9/6-9/7/23

Madelyn Helling County Library: Find Your Voice Youth Summer Learning Program, Presenting/Signing, (Nevada City, CA) 7/26/23

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop, June-August, 2023

Yolo County Juneteenth Celebration: Appearance/Signing (University of California, Davis) 6/4/23

Patwin Elementary School Book Fair Fund Raiser: Appearance/Signing (Avid Reader, Davis, CA) 5/23/23

Oklahoma Book Awards Celebration: Hosted by the Oklahoma Center for the Book and the Friends of the Oklahoma Center for the Book (Oklahoma City, OK) 4/22/23 - AWARD RECIPIENT

Union Hill School: Author Visit (Grass Valley, CA) 3/30/23

SCBWI-CA: San Diego: Virtual Workshop with Editor, Andrea Posner-Sanchez, Writing Little Golden Books, 3/18/23

California School Library Association (CSLA) Conference: Author Panel (Pacific Grove, CA) 3/4/23

Mary L. Stephens Library: Black History Month Family Event: Speaking, Signing and Activities (Davis, CA) 2/25/23

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "A Peek at Publishing" 2/25/23

Gibson Elementary School: Author Visit and Family Night (Woodland, CA) 2/16/23

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Revision Techniques: Game On!" 2/4/23

Pleasant Pheasant Bookstore: Signing and Storytime (Woodland, CA) 1/22/23

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, 1/14/23 and 1/21/23

2022

SCBWI-CA: San Francisco/South Golden Gate Conference, Asilomar Conference Grounds, CA 9/16-9/18/22

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: Fearlessness: Mining Emotions and Experiences to Create Fiction 9/10/22

SCBWI-MD/DE/WV: Virtual Workshop: Steering Your Picture Book in the Right Direction, 7/16/22

Highlights Foundation: Workshop Faculty, Summer Camp in Fiction (Milanville, PA), 7/6-7/10/22

East Village Bookshop: Signing and Conversation (Sacramento, CA), 6/11/22

Creekview Ranch School: Author Visit (Roseville, CA), 2/2/22

World Read Aloud Day: Virtual Visits, 2/2/22

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program: Virtual Masterclass: "Revision Techniques: Game On!" 1/29/22

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Diving Into Picture Books, 1/15/22 and 1/22/22

2021 

Highlights Foundation: Virtual Workshop, Filling the Writer's Toolbox with Emma Dryden (Small Group Facilitator), 10/17-10/22/21

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program, in conjunction with the Bay Area Book Festival (Virtual)

2/6/21, 10/2/21, 10/23/21 (Instructor: Revision Strategies Masterclass, Story Structure in Fiction Masterclass, Fearless Writers and Their Characters Masterclass)

SCBWI: MD/DE/WV, Virtual Writing Workshop: Uncharted Territory: Finding What You Didn't Know You Were Looking For (Research Strategies), 9/25/21

2020
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Denver, CO, 11/19-22 (EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO COVID) (Panel: Diversity within Diversity: #OwnVoices Chapter Books and Early Readers)

Cinnamongirl Write Your Story Program, in conjunction with the Bay Area Book Festival (Virtual) 8/15/20 (Instructor, Fearless Writers, Awesome Characters Masterclass)

Spencer Loomis Elementary School, 4th Grade Virtual Book Club Chat, (Hawthorn Woods, IL), 5/13/20

Bay Area Book Festival #Unbound, Online, Interview: Justice for All,  5/9/20

Maeola Beitzel Elementary School: Family Reading Night (Elk Grove, CA), 3/5/20

Face in a Book Bookstore (El Dorado Hills, CA), 2/22/20

Avid Reader (Davis, CA) 2/15/20

California School Library Association (CSLA)  Annual Conference (City of Industry, CA), 2/6 - 2/8/20

The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane Book Launch Party at Mary L. Stephens Library (Davis, CA), 1/18/20

SCBWI's Our Own Backyard Event, Paths to Publication Panel Moderator (Davis, CA), 1/11/20

Blog interview: Author 2 Author Chat with Charvella Campbell 1/5/20

2019
Face in a Book Bookstore: Little Golden Book Extravaganza (El Dorado Hills, CA) 10/20/19

California Reading Association (CRA) Conference, Presenter (McClellan Park, CA) 10/18-10/19/19

KDRT Radio Interview: "That's Life" with Lois Richter, 95.7FM (Davis, CA) 8/1/19

American Library Association (ALA) Conference: Capstone Booth (Washington, DC) 6/23/19

Friends of the Davis Public Library Meeting, Keynote Speaker: Mary L. Stephens Library (Davis, CA) 5/19/19

Turn the Page!: Children's Fairyland (Oakland, CA) 5/18/19

Redwood Heights Elementary School: Author Visit (Oakland, CA) 5/13/19

Local Author Expo: Folsom Public Library (Folsom, CA) 4/27/19

Avid Reader (Davis, CA) 3/16/19

Dr. Andy's Poetry and Technology Hour, KDVS Radio, 90.3 (Davis, CA) 2/27/19

Black History Month Celebration: Mary L. Stephens Library (Davis, CA) 2/17/19

Face in a Book (El Dorado Hills, CA) 2/16/19

Barnes & Noble (Citrus Heights, CA) 2/2/19

Avid Reader (Davis, CA) 2/1/19

2018
Cambridge Heights Elementary School Pajama Party (Barnes & Noble, Citrus Heights, CA) 11/15/18

SCBWI-CA: North/Central: Annual Spring Spirit Conference (Citrus Heights, CA) 4/7/18 (Panel Moderator: Pass or Play First Pages Panel)

2017

American Lakes Elementary School (Natomas/Sacramento, CA) 12/20/17

Davis Christmas Tree Lighting Festival (The Avid Reader, Davis, CA) 11/30/17

Face in a Book Bookstore: Five-Author Fest (El Dorado Hills, CA) 11/18/17

SCBWI California North/Central Annual Spring Spirit Conference (Citrus Heights, CA) 4/1/17 (Panel Moderator: On Writing The Truth: Diversity in Children's Literature)

2016
SCBWI California North/Central: An Introduction to Writing Picture Books (Davis, CA) 8/27/16

2015
SCBWI California North/Central Annual Spring Spirit Conference (Citrus Heights, CA) 5/2/15
(Presentation: Getting to the (Common) Core of Your Book)

2014
Costco Wholesale Book Signing (Woodland, CA) 12/13/14

Discovery Weekend (Barnes & Noble, Roseville, CA) 11/22/14

ScholarShare Children's Book Festival (Fairytale Town, Sacramento, CA) 9/28/14

Yolo County Women's History Month Celebration (Woodland, CA) 3/6/14

2012
Merryhill School (Elk Grove, CA) 12/20/12

Sacramento Philharmonic Fundraiser at Plates Cafe (Sacramento, CA) 12/9/12

Towne Center Books (Pleasanton, CA) 12/2/12

Pronzini Christmas Tree Lots (Woodland, San Rafael, Greenbrae, CA) 12/1/12, 12/8/12

Copperfield's Books (Napa, CA) 11/11/12

SCBWI CA North/Central Spring Spirit Conference (Rocklin, CA) 4/21/12 (Presentation: Lesson Plans for Books)

2011
Korematsu Elementary School (Davis, CA), 12/14/11

Winter Wonderland (Fairytale Town, Sacramento, CA), 12/10/11

Davis Christmas Tree Lighting Festival (The Avid Reader, Davis, CA), 12/1/11

SCBWI SF North & East Bay Region Fall Conference (Mills College, Oakland, CA), 10/22/11

ScholarShare Children's Book Festival (Fairytale Town, Sacramento, CA), 9/24-9/25/11