Hi! I'm Emily.
In the global children’s literature class that I took as part of my Elementary Education major, I stood out from my peers. They studied children’s books covering topics such as friendship and holidays. Meanwhile, I chose to focus my semester project on kids' books that address war, violence, and prejudice (yes, those exist).
I couldn’t stop wrestling with the question of, “When kids experience something awful, and we wish they didn’t, what do we do?” This felt important.
Later, this unique interest was piqued again when my oldest was about to enter kindergarten and participate in her first lockdown drill. Talk about a conversation I was not prepared to have!
Hoping for a book to broker this conversation, I was disappointed by the options in the market. From my professional training, I knew we needed something age-appropriate and honest. So, I set to work creating a better tool for grown-ups who hope to maintain trust while teaching safety.
Thankfully, so many amazing professionals chipped in to help me! The involvement of some of our nation's top leaders in school safety ensured Listen, Run, Hide is accurate. Mental health professionals ensured it is sensitive and age-appropriate. Teachers and school counselors provided perspectives from years of classroom experience.
I've always loved three things - kids, teaching, and stories.
Unexpectedly, I learned a lot during this process. Wanting my own kids to have the best lockdown drill experience possible, I reached out to their school to see if they’d be willing to add more transparency to their drills. They were happy to! And while I had the attention of the school administration, I had a few more questions… My consulting services were born.
Through formal presentations at conferences, one-on-one consulting with school administration, and coaching to parent advocates, I’ve helped schools apply best practices without overcomplicating the drilling process. Additionally, my expertise lies in refining communication between schools and the community to ensure drills are transparent and that grown-ups are empowered to provide support to the children experiencing drills.
On the local level, I run a "Sponsor a School" Program that, thanks to generous community donors, provides author visits and free copies of "Listen, Run, Hide" to second graders throughout my community. Connecting with these kids, teaching them that their safety matters, and that they can turn to adults for more support, is by far my favorite part of being an author!
On a personal note, my husband and our three children bring me the highest happiness. In my free time, I love to mountain bike, play board games, volunteer in my church, watch reality TV, and (like any good little writer) read.
Also, I’ve been bitten by the writing bug and am working on a contemporary thriller novel that I think you’ll love - several high school friends with a complicated past reunite for a hiking trip that someone seems to be secretly sabotaging… (Publish date is to be determined, but eek! I’m so excited…)
Thanks for being here!