COVER REVEAL for THE WIZARD'S WORKSHOP

I'm always excited to release a new book, but I have to say...This one is extra special.

THE WIZARD'S WORKSHOP, was born out of my love of science experiments combined with a slightly obsessive addiction for everything Harry Potter! 

Yes, it's a potions book! How cool is that! It's mixing science and fantasy so kids can cook up concoctions with things like Troll Tears and Dragon Saliva and get a magical reaction. It even comes with hand-written notes from a previous owner. (Think of Harry's old potions book with notes from "The Half-Blood Prince.")

I didn't set out to break away from writing novels and dive head-first into the children's genre, but this book just sort of . . . happened. Like destiny. It stared with a Halloween project to create a potions cabinet. But I wanted REAL potions. Potions that actually did something when you combined the ingredients! The solution was to take the coolest science experiments ever and turn them into potions. It was a time-consuming project of passion, but when I was done, I'd made a potions book filled with "REAL" magic and a stocked potions cabinet to go with it.

  The only problem--I had one book and three kids that wanted it. And it snowballed from there. I started doing "Potion Classes" at schools, class parties, and private birthday parties. It was fun, but everyone wanted me to make them a potion book. I got so many requests, I decided I should publish it. I adjusted the manuscript for kids and pitched the idea to several agents. Before long, I signed with an agent, and a publisher was making an offer. But like all roads to publication, the path is full of potholes and detours. The deal fell through over a disagreement with illustrations, and my agent and I had a friendly parting. Like any desperate author, I sent the manuscript out into the world, scattering query letters around like confetti. Luckily my book found another home with the incredible Katie Payne doing the illustrations. 

It's been an amazing experience working with Katie and seeing this book come to life. Even better, I finally get to share one of my favorite passions with the world. Believe me when I say, I'm doing a happy dance as I announce that THE WIZARD'S WORKSHOP will be released on April 10th, 2018!!!

From the back of the book:

Within these pages, you will find  

Magic potions of every kind

They’ll fizz, and bubble, and pop, and spray

And send those mean old monsters away

So grab a friend and jump inside

 A world where science and magic collide

Create your own wizarding potions! Excite your imagination by placing science experiments in the realm of fantasy. 

Banish ghosts, overpower werewolves, make troll snot, scare away the bogeyman, and more with twenty potion recipes you will want to make again and again!

...By the way, my favorite is the Ghost Detecting Potion!!!