• What I’ve Been Up To, Part 2: A Conversation With My Shadow

    Hi again, dear friends, and happy last day of February! It’s a snowy morning here in Western Washington. Without further ado, here’s poem #2! A CONVERSATION WITH MY SHADOW I’m grown now, I keep telling myself that, The child inside me Curled up On a narrow bed. Scary stories Slip in her ears, Stalking her…


  • What I’ve Been Up To, In 2 Poems: Part 1

    Hi, lovely friends, Sorry it’s been a little quiet here lately. But to make up for it, here are two poems that I think best summarize what I’ve been up to! I’m going to post them one at a time. It feels amazing to be so raw and honest with you all. This is me,…


  • Happy Monday!

    I’m excited for several reasons on this marvelous end-of-the-month Monday! Love, Katia


  • I Am Scared To Write This

    This month we’re in the middle of Mercury Retrograde. If you know the rules you might know what this means: don’t get a tattoo. Don’t sign a contract. And don’t start anything new. This blog post is about fear and courage. So maybe you’re brave enough to ignore these rules. Maybe that works just fine…


  • What If? A Time Poem

    The New Year is off and running! How is time treating you? A better question: how are you treating time? Here is where I am with it all. I hope you enjoy the poem. Thank you, Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Writing for Children and Young Adults program for the weekly poetry prompts that…


  • I did a thing this week!

    So…something took over me over the last couple of days. Or maybe I took myself over. LOL. But…I just wanted to let my loyal readers new and old know that I accidentally wrote 20,000 words over the course of two days. I think that comes to about 100 pages? Which, I can’t even wrap my…


  • I’m Baaaaack.

    I started blogging in 2009. I called it The Magic Mirror: it’s a childhood thing, and a story for another time. Friends followed me; I started building a small but loyal writing community. Then, my first book came out, I didn’t become mega-rich and hyper-famous, and I guess it was a “what now?” moment. So…


  • A Pause

    Dear Readers, I have not gone away.  Just hibernating. Re-evaluating. Growing. There will be more soon. I’ll get back into the blogging, and that’s a promise. I love it too much not to. My old blog posts are still available if you’re curious (pages and years worth of content for your reading pleasure!) And if…


  • Aaand another one!

    Today I spoke to creative writers and intensely curious and engaged readers in Clarksville Middle School, Howard County, Maryland. These young people are already busy workshopping each other’s work and thinking about how they can join Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Whoa, these guys and girls are way ahead of where I was…


  • Giveaway to Celebrate!

    Dear readers! Welcome to my new site, designed by the talented Hafsah Faizal of Icey Designs! To celebrate all the magic in this beautiful new space, I am giving away three awesome prizes! Prize 1: A signed early copy of my debut novel CASTLE OF CONCRETE Prize 2: A beautiful hand-painted Russian swan princess fairytale…