Last weekend, I went out to New Paris with a bunch of friends. I had really romantic ideas about the trip: shooting stars, delicious food, and beautiful fall foliage. All those things were there, and it was really wonderful. It was just missing one major thing: inspiration.You see, I always had an idealized version of how…

It was a moment that could only happen in D.C.My husband and I were sitting in the metro when two young men entered the car. This is not an unusual occurrence. What they said next definitely was.One of the young men announced, "We are here to make y'all smile with a dance performance. We are…

When I was at the National Book Festival, Angie Thomas mentioned how much hip-hop music inspired her writing. It got me thinking. Are there any musicians that have inspired my writing? The answer is a big resounding "YES!" The musicians that have an inspired me the most are amazing storytellers. I remember sitting in my parents'…

The National Book Festival is like Christmas for bookworms in Washington D.C.: there is a lot of anticipation to see someone who is known around the world. On a rainy Saturday, I went to the festival to see Sabaa Tahir, Marie Lu, Nicola Yoon, Roxane Gay, and Angie Thomas. Basically, I went to see my…