I’m super excited to share the release of my next middle grade book, LOON COVE SUMMER, coming out May 2025!
This story took hold of me in 2013. It’s grown and evolved, but never let me go. As a child, my parents owned and operated a rural campground in New England and it was a magical place to live. This story is a love letter to my childhood there.
Thirteen-year-old Sarah Richardson is determined that her life will finally get unstuck this summer. She just knows it. Her to-do list? Brave the lake again. Save the loons. Stop missing Mom. Her one bright spot: volunteering at the local wild bird rehabilitation center.
The summer looks even brighter when Sarah meets Theo, the boy staying at her family’s Maine lakeside campground who cares about protecting the loons just like she does. But when Sarah’s family may have to move, she adds a new to-do item: save their home. And when Dad starts spending too much time with Theo’s aunt, the naturalist helping research environmental dangers to the loons, Sarah is caught in a world of grief and guilt.
With the looming reality of losing her dad, her home, and the loons, Sarah must make a big statement to take control of her life. Capturing inspiration from her mother’s Appalachian Trail hiking journal, she boldly plans a solo wild adventure. But as her challenges mount, she wonders if her courage will earn her the voice she seeks—or if she’s made a reckless choice that just might claim her life.
And here’s a sneak peek teaser of a small snippet of the unfinished cover—still in the illustration process!
I fell in love with nature, the woods, and lakes at the age of nine when I lived at my family’s campground in New England by Squam Lake in Holderness, New Hampshire.
Here’s the amazing view of the lake from the top of Rattlesnake Mountain.
Here I am on Squam Lake where we lived and where I caught my first fish with my dad in his Boston Whaler.
The fish was a pike, and he nearly rammed his boat into a rock island just so I could get it! I’m the one in the white hat. 🙂
Back in 2015, I visited Holderness and Squam Lake when I was working on LOON COVE SUMMER. You can read about that adventure here. It was like stepping back in time, wrapped up in the comfort of being a kid again.
With the one-year anniversary of my dad’s death coming up on October 30th, I love reminiscing about our time at the campground. It helps me smile from our memories together rather than be sad. My dad loved fishing and camping and we spent many family vacations doing both in Canada and throughout New England.
It was beautiful to experience the Lakes Region of New Hampshire on my recent visit in fall. And I’m so excited that fall is here now. The golden colors, flying leaves, crisp air, fires and hot cider, bundled up in coats and gloves. I love it all!
Because I love fall, I want share with you my favorite autumn comfort recipe that I created long ago:
Meat scramble bowl with veggies!
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef (or poultry if you prefer)
Several butter gold potatoes
Two crowns of broccoli
2 sweet onions
2 large red, orange, or yellow peppers
2 large carrots
Organic vegetable bouillon cube
½ cup of marinara sauce (or canned tomatoes)
½ cup beef broth (or poultry)
2 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
2 cloves of garlic diced
Olive oil for tossing vegetables and pan
Seasonings (curry, Italian seasoning, chili powder, cumin, salt)
Optional:
Parmesan cheese to taste (about 2 tablespoons)
1-2 tablespoons of dehydrated coconut milk to mix in for creaminess
Instructions:
Cut up peppers, carrots, broccoli, and 1 onion into chunks
Toss these cut up vegetables with olive oil, your fave seasonings, and roast in oven on parchment paper at 400 degrees until done (caramelized and bit darkened)
While the veggies are roasting, make mashed potatoes in your style
Dice up the remaining onion and cook until opaque in deep skillet on medium with olive oil
Add diced garlic to skillet once onion is done
Add in meat and break up into small crumbles until mostly cooked
Add marinara, broth, bouillon cube, coconut milk powder, and almond/peanut butter and stir
Cover skillet and turn heat to low to simmer
Stir occasionally
When done add in seasonings (I love curry especially!) and parmesan to taste
To serve warm:
Place generous scoop of mashed potatoes in a large serving bowl
Top with generous scoop of meat scramble and roasted veggies
Enjoy – and leftovers too!
Time saver tip: Instead of making a pot of mashed potatoes. Cook one potato in the microwave, mash hot with a fork with butter or olive oil, and place in bottom of a serving bowl then top with meat scramble and veggies.
Time saver tip 2: Cut up sweet potatoes and roast with other veggies instead of making mashed potatoes.
Happy fall! I’ll leave you with an autumn photo from Squam Lake to enjoy.
