Resources
For Writers
Welcome!
My entire professional career has been spent teaching, editing, and writing. The resources below represent what I would offer in a writing program of my own.
-
Use the reading list to work independently.
-
Take classes for more support.
-
Apply for a mentorship for one-on-one guidance.
-
Go on a retreat and immerse yourself in a project.
Recommended Reading
Mentorships
Mentorships are a 12-week commitment, which gives us time for deep work on a section of a novel-length work, or 2 picture books.
I work with only 3 mentees at a time. Potential mentees are required to submit an application that includes a sample, an example of a piece of writing they admire and what they want to learn from it, and a bio.
There is no application fee at this time.
Please fill out the form below if you are interested in a mentorship.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_4728448519e44216a937dc613b33cfff~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_83,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Tracey%20Office.jpeg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_3216f955ce404463a9dbc80a555de5cc~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_198,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Details%20Friends%201.jpeg)
Two crystal Ganeshas and my ceramic chicken, Henny.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_0ca08845737c44b7adb8c23def101e54~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20Mermaid%20and%20Pirate.jpeg)
This mermaid and pirate were the inspiration for Mermaid and Pirate!
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_d10a6bfc2de84326bebb414e0b2c0790~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_92,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20Nesting%20Dolls.jpeg)
These three friends live on my bookshelf. The first is a chicken I bought outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a day I went to do research for AFRICAN ICONS. The beaded chicken reminded me of some of the African art on display inside the museum. The second item is a nesting doll. The outside is Mama D'Leau from Looking for a Jumbie. The interior dolls are Papa Bois, the soucouyant, the lagahoo, and the douen. All painted in the style of Looking for a Jumbie. The third is another nesting doll created by Vanessa Brantley Newton. She has a book called Nesting Dolls.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_a49dfbba5c914395bc5bdb69e92ab43c~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_234,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Details%20Reading%20Owl.jpeg)
This "reading owl" was a gift by an artist who made several "douen" creatures for me to give away when The Jumbies first came out in 2015.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_5282dfe9747f44cebb81d95432a4cff6~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_83,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20%20Ballet.jpeg)
The last pair of pointe shoes I danced in are on my bookshelf along with a ballerina figure that one of my 2nd grade students gave me as a Christmas present many years ago.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_e15808254101494791c3d0b8824ae6ce~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_83,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20Alyssa%20Shoes.jpeg)
My daughter's first pair of sneakers.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_7da57c1185b844f7a20cf3d8d1465337~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_83,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20LEGO%20shop%20street.jpeg)
I collect a lot of Lego buildings. They're fun to build and play with, plus I get to set up all the people in town the way I like. These two sets are the Detective Office and the Pet Shop.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_178e0a4daeca49dfbf8fbba4320c139e~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_105,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20Typewriter.jpeg)
I just had to get this Lego typewriter. It was also a fun build because the carriage at the top moves as you "type" on the keys.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5a139_1669034567174498bf40a3d267621166~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_202,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Office%20Detail%20LEGO%20Tree%20House.jpeg)
The Lego treehouse took me forever to build because I was so busy writing that I wouldn't have time to work on it for months! I think it took almost a year before I finished putting it together.