I receive remarkable questions from students and readers—about stories, history, the process of writing, and all those dark, unexplored crevices in history. It never ceases to amaze me how inquisitive young minds can be. I learn so much for what I’m asked to consider or rethink, so whether you’re a young reader or not, ask away… Submit a question!

Women & Girls: Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman

A child of sharecroppers, ELIZABETH “BESSIE” COLEMAN dreamed of flying, but no aviation school in the United States would...

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

I generate ideas based on what’s left out of a story. For example, when I’m reading an historical document,...

Q: What’s the connection between Shakespeare and Virginia?

In 1609, the disappearance of the Sea Venture (the largest ship in the largest fleet, the Third Supply) was...

Q: How long did this take to write?

Writing the actual story—a young woman traveling to Virginia with her parents—only took a few weeks. The idea had...

Q: Where did you hear about the Sea Venture?

On a sign! My father’s family lived at a place called Bermuda Hundred. I always thought it odd that...

Q: What inspired the story in your book The Isle of Devils?

Simple: To answer the basic question of why someone—anyone—would come to the settlement at Jamestown when it was common...