Current Manuscripts
Current Manuscripts
Embedded Files
Dry Your Wings
Dry Your Wings
You can't fly until you learn how to stand still.
You can't fly until you learn how to stand still.
This is a 468-word lyrical picture book that uses the powerful, nature-based metaphor of a saturated marsh bird to show a boy how to practice self-compassion and heal from lingering trauma.
Synopsis: Leo is weighed down by the quiet, cold memory of a flood, describing his lingering trauma as a "wet coat I can't take off". When a distant, loud noise triggers his fear, his friend Piper draws his attention to the marsh's Anhinga bird. Just as the Anhinga must stand still with saturated feathers to let the sun dry its wings before it can fly , Leo learns that healing requires standing still and embracing the power of self-compassion to let his heart become light again.
Click here for a SNEAK PEEK of Dry Your Wings.
The Thump-Thump Heart
The Thump-Thump Heart
The fastest dog isn't always the best.
The fastest dog isn't always the best.
This is a 387-word picture book about a boy who learns that the constant, quiet presence of his aging dog provides more unconditional comfort than the chaos of a new puppy.
Synopsis: When a new, zoomy puppy named Buster arrives, Alex begins to question if his old dog, Gus, is still the "best dog". Gus is slow, smelly, and mostly a champion sleeper, whose quiet presence is marked only by a heavy "thump-thump" of his tail. It isn't until Alex has a truly terrible day that he realizes the true meaning of companionship: the comfort he needs most is found not in excitement, but in the steady, unconditional love of Gus's soft, "thump-thump" heart.
Click here for a SNEAK PEEK of The Thump-Thump Heart.
The Porch Ladies
The Porch Ladies
Not every superhero wears a cape—some wear big glasses and knit dog sweaters.
Not every superhero wears a cape—some wear big glasses and knit dog sweaters.
This is a 408-word picture book about a girl who learns that the answer to every bad day—from a hungry tummy to a failed test—can be found in the constant, quirky wisdom of the three elderly ladies watching from their three separate porches.
Synopsis: For young Olivia, the walk home is marked by three separate, quirky porches, each watched by one of the Porch Ladies: Carol, Rose, and Kathy. Carol is obsessed with her popsicle stock; Rose directs her three tiny dogs against neighborhood squirrels; and Kathy, a crossword genius, offers sage advice. Over three challenging days, the ladies use their unique "powers"—from a perfectly timed popsicle for a hungry tummy to a clever dog's nose for a lost item, and a brilliant fact about making mistakes—to fix Olivia's troubles. This is a heartwarming and humorous story about finding the safest, kindest, and best community right on the front porch.
Click here for a SNEAK PEEK of The Porch Ladies.
Everyone Belongs in a Book!
Everyone Belongs in a Book!
Every clue is worth the search.
Every clue is worth the search.
This is a 427-word picture book about a magical librarian, Ms. Finch, who lives by the simple rule: "Everyone belongs in a book!" When a girl named Ophelia rolls into the library and challenges the librarian to find a hero who looks just like her.
Synopsis: The Elm Street Library runs on the magic of Ms. Finch, a librarian renowned for proving her personal rule: "Everyone belongs in a book!" But when a girl named Ophelia, who uses a wheelchair, sadly challenges Ms. Finch by saying, "You will never find books with me on the cover,” Ms. Finch realizes her library is incomplete. She embarks on her most important search, looking past the familiar heroes and into the quiet corners of the shelves. Ms. Finch triumphs by presenting Ophelia with a small, precious stack of books—featuring champions and adventurers who use wheels—validating Ophelia's experience, confirming the librarian's philosophy, and making the library truly whole.
Click here for a SNEAK PEEK of Everyone Belongs in a Book!
Pondering my future manuscripts (or possibly where I hid the keys to the vintage Corvette that clearly came with this outfit.)
About Me
About Me
I'm a school librarian and picture book author whose first love is connecting kids with stories. A Miami, FL girl at heart, she now lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, Penny, and a library of books constantly threatening to take over the house. When she's not crafting fresh manuscripts, you can find her escaping into a stack of high-fantasy romance novels or reading aloud her picture book favorites, like Drawn Together (by Minh Lê) and Gladys the Magic Chicken (by Adam Rubin), to her daughter.
I'm currently reading: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
FOR FULL MANUSCRIPTS OR REPRESENTATION INQUIRIES: Email katymarieblack@gmail.com
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