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NEW! My graphic novel with illustrator Veronica Agarwal is now available – read more about it below.

I write novels for young adults, represented by Caryn Wiseman of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. My first novel, The Latte Rebellion, was published by Flux Books in January, 2011 and Scholastic Book Clubs in fall of 2011. In May 2012, it received the bronze IPPY Award for Children’s Multicultural Fiction from Independent Publisher magazine. My second novel, Underneath, was published by Flux in June 2013. My third novel, The Truth Against the World, was published in June 2014 by Flux.

Alexis vs. Summer Vacation

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“Captures the importance of being honest—not just with others, but with ourselves.”
—Chris Tebbetts, co-author of the
NY Times bestselling Middle School series 

The summer before high school is supposed to be a time to reinvent yourself, but fourteen-year-old Alexis isn’t sure who she wants to be. It doesn’t help that she hasn’t mustered up the courage to talk to Hayley, that cute junior lifeguard at the local pool, or that she doesn’t know what liking a girl means for her identity. When she meets Luke and Jason, she discovers she isn’t the only person who hasn’t figured life out. Alexis devises a plan for the three of them to “level up” by taking charge and changing their situations for the better. She soon discovers that being assertive isn’t as easy as rolling the die in her fantasy role-playing game. Alexis must learn to navigate how to be a good friend and speak up for herself or risk failing at the game called life.

“Alexis vs. Summer Vacation has everything you need in a comic. Characters you can love and a situation that is so relatable it can make you cringe. This book reminds me of how powerful comics can be to create empathy and understanding, and it belongs in the hands of every kid who is making the transition from middle school to high school.”  —Tillie Walden, Eisner Award-winning graphic novelist


The Truth Against the World

A transatlantic paranormal mystery that spans generations

When Olwen Nia Evans learns that her family is moving from San Francisco to Wales to fulfill her great-grandmother’s dying wish, she starts having strange and vivid dreams about her family’s past in the old country. But nothing she sees in the dreams—the people, the places—makes any sense. Could it all be the result of an overactive imagination . . . or could everything she’s been told about her ancestors be a lie?

Once in Wales, she meets Gareth Lewis, a boy plagued by dreams of his own—visions he can’t shake since the day he met a ghost among the misty cairns along the Welsh seaside.

A ghost named Olwen Nia Evans.

“[T]here’s an old-fashioned charm to this gently meandering tale that can’t be denied. A fresh-air alternative to claustrophobic dystopias.” — Kirkus Reviews

NEW! buy a signed copy via PayPalbuy it: amazon | indiebound | Barnes & Noble


Underneath

“Dear Sunny: I don’t expect you to understand any of this yet, but we’ll always have yesterday . . . and today, and tomorrow. Maybe one day you’ll figure it out. I never could.”

With a supportive family, great friends, and a spot on her high school’s swim team, Sunshine “Sunny” Pryce-Shah’s life seems perfect. Until the day her popular older cousin Shiri commits suicide. The shocking tragedy triggers heart-wrenching grief, unanswered questions, and a new, disturbing ability in Sunny—hearing people’s thoughts.

When Sunny “underhears” awful things about what her so-called friends really think of her, she starts avoiding them and instead seeks refuge with the emo crowd. But when she discovers her new friends’ true motives, Sunny doesn’t know who she can trust anymore. Feeling like she’ll drown in the flood of unwanted voices inside her head, she turns to her cousin’s journal for answers. Sunny must figure out how to keep everything from falling apart, or she may end up just like Shiri.

“…takes readers on a profound journey…” — Kirkus Reviews

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The Latte Rebellion

Our philosophy is simple: Promote a latte-colored world! —from the Latte Rebellion Manifesto

When high school senior Asha Jamison gets called a “towel head” at a pool party, the racist insult gives Asha and her best friend Carey a great money-making idea for a post-graduation trip. They’ll sell T-shirts promoting the Latte Rebellion, a club that raises awareness of mixed-race students.

Seemingly overnight, their “cause” goes viral and the T-shirts become a nationwide fad. As new chapters spring up from coast to coast, Asha realizes that her simple marketing plan has taken on a life of its own-and it’s starting to ruin hers. Asha’s once-stellar grades begin to slip, threatening her Ivy League dreams, and her friendship with Carey is hanging by a thread. And when the peaceful underground movement turns militant, Asha’s school launches a disciplinary hearing. Facing expulsion, Asha must decide how much she’s willing to risk for something she truly believes in.

Download book discussion questions (PDF)

Awards:
IPPY Bronze Medal – Children’s Multicultural Fiction
Florida Teens Read List 2013 – 2014
Scholastic Book Club Selection

publisher’s website | latte rebellion website buy it: amazon | indiebound | barnes & noble

NEW! buy a signed copy via PayPal