This interview originally appeared in the January/February 2026 Horn Book Magazine as part of the Publishers’ Previews: New Year, New Books, an advertising supplement that allows participating publishers a chance to each highlight a book from its current list. They choose the books; we ask the questions.

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In The Curse Breaker, sequel to Isle of Ever, Benny and her friends (and enemies) continue to solve the puzzle given to Benny by an ancestor of two hundred years ago, and lives depend on the solution.

Photo: Kimberly L. Photography.

1. Were you an adventurous child?

I was afraid of my own shadow. But I did have a huge imagination, and I’d craft ­stories about a stronger and braver version of me who searched for mysterious islands and pirate treasure. That’s what inspired Isle of Ever. My grandmother encouraged me to dig for treasure at the beach on Long Island, where I grew up. We spent a lot of time talking about the pirate Captain Kidd, and I was fascinated.

2. Favorite time-travel story?

In movies, Back to the Future and 13 Going on 30. In books, I was a huge fan of A Wrinkle in Time and thought Meg was the coolest kid in the world.

3. You write in many genres. Which is the most challenging?

Mystery and adventure have been the biggest but most rewarding challenge of my career. When the idea for Isle of Ever took hold, I was nervous that I couldn’t pull it off. I wanted to tell this story about two girls, separated in time by two hundred years, trying to correct wrongs and solve a mystery, but I’d never done anything like it before.

4. You’re a BC alum! What did the Jesuits teach you?

I am so proud to be a Boston College graduate. My years there taught me to see my worth beyond achievements or goals. I learned that leadership and strength involve compassion, giving back to the world around me, and having self-awareness.

5. You pick right up on the action begun in the first book, and end this one on a cliffhanger as well. How long will readers have to wait?

I love hearing from readers about the cliffhanging. I hope they reread each book, search for clues, and try to solve this mystery. Cliffhanger endings remind me of my favorite TV shows as a kid. A season would end and I’d be like, “Don’t do this to me!” But the excitement for the next season would build. As I tell readers, if I could wait a year for a show, they can wait for the next book. I promise I’m hard at work on it.

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