Welcome

Thanks so much for stopping by. Since you're here, I'm assuming you love middle grade fiction. Me, too. I was blessed with parents who read to me from the time I was very young, but it wasn't until around fourth grade when I fell deeply, madly in love with books. Charlotte's Web, Where the Red Fern Grows, and a little later, The Outsiders, became three of my favorites and still hold a place of honor on my bookshelf today. I especially loved books about normal kids who faced tough situations and had a love for animals. So guess what type of books I most love to write? Yep, you figured it out... books just like that.

I'm excited to introduce you to my new Poppy Parker series! If you've read A Million Ways Home, you're already familiar with Poppy, a young girl whose calm life is upended when the grandmother who's raising her has a stroke and ends up in the hospital. Before Poppy can figure out a way to get her life back to normal, she ends up as the sole witness to an armed robbery and is placed in a unique form of witness protection. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say there are some very powerful emotions in both A Million Ways Home and True As Steel—in all my books really. After all, if you're not emotionally invested in a story, what's the point of reading? That's why my books tackle some pretty heavy subjects—things like homelessness, grief, coping with the consequences of a reckless decision, adjusting to a blended family. But don't worry, there's always humor, great friendships, a satisfying ending... and of course, a dog!

Visit the Books page to read a summary of each of my novels. And before you leave, surf around the rest of the site to learn more about me, see pictures of my dogs, or read a free short story or article.

Thanks again for visiting!

Happy reading!

—Dianna