I really saw my mom advocate on my behalf and really say, 'Hey, you're good enough.' It was from her that I learned that just because something hasn't been done before, it doesn't mean it can't be done now. You have to speak up, and you've got to assert yourself because it takes somebody to be the first one to make it happen.

My days are filled with writing, reading, and being a mom. Some days, I get to visit schools around the country and talk about what it's like to be a writer. I often feel like I'm pretending, because it's still hard for me to believe it when I see someone holding a book that I've written.

I am at the table. I am first generation. I am Irish-Puerto Rican. I am a single mom.

Mom Quotes