The answers you get from literature depend on the questions you pose. —Margaret Atwood

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is this Sunday, March 8, and I’m reflecting on the women writers who have taught—and continue to teach—me throughout my life.

A Few Writers I Have Loved

As a young reader, there was Louisa May Alcott, Ursula LeGuin, Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton and Agatha Christie, to name just a few. As a college student, there was Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn Brooks, and many more. As a graduate student, there were my in-person mentors, the brilliant writers An Na, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Kathi Appelt. Currently, there are my real-life writer friends and the books I’m reading now—I just re-read Frankenstein and discovered that Mary Shelley still has plenty to reveal.

My Big Plans

The power of writing is that it reaches us beyond the limits of time and space, and these women’s voices are a treasure that continuously reveals lessons about writing and life.

The power of writing is that it reaches us beyond the limits of time and space, and these women’s voices are a treasure that continuously reveals lessons about writing and life. I hope to celebrate Women’s Day in my favorite way to celebrate anything—on the couch with a book in my hand. I’ll pick one of my favorite female writers and we’ll spend some time hanging out. You can join me, if you like.