About

My journey to becoming a writer was anything but straightforward. Originally drawn to architecture, my fascination with math, physics, and design often intersected with an equally strong love for words and storytelling. Though I enrolled in architecture school, my creative spirit ultimately led me to leave that path behind, embarking on a winding career that spanned various fields. Despite resisting the pull of fiction for some time, writing eventually proved irresistible. And once I fully embraced it, there was no turning back–writing was my true calling.

I threw myself into my craft, tirelessly writing, revising, and discarding entire manuscripts in frustration. But I never gave up. My persistence paid off when my debut novel, De wraak van Deedee (Deedee’s Revenge), was published in 2005 by Van Goor Children’s Books, soon followed by two more middle-grade novels, and later, a move to Ploegsma Children’s Books. There, Boreas en de zeven zeeën (Boreas and the Seven Seas) set sail, and was selected as a focal title for the 2019 Dutch National Children’s Book Week, reaching schools, libraries, and bookstores across the Netherlands. The same book was later acquired by Noordhoff Publishers for an educational edition aimed at reluctant readers, placing it alongside Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo. The Boreas series continued and continues to captivate readers, with sequels Boreas en de duizend eilanden (Boreas and the Thousand Islands), Boreas en de vier windstreken (Boreas and the Four Winds), and Boreas en de vijftien vrienden (Boreas and the Fifteen Friends) receiving widespread acclaim from teachers, librarians, and fans alike.

My writing spans a range of age groups, with each story offering an immersive adventure–both for the writer and the reader. My work is know for its intensity, pulling readers deep into the lives of my characters. My secret? I experience everything my protagonists go through. Whether it’s tumbling down a waterfall in a kayak, navigating harsh mountain ranges or blistering deserts, sailing through a storm, or racing tractors–I have lived it all.

To refine my craft, I completed the four-year course Writing Fiction for Children at Script+ (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences) and pursued a dual master Book Editing from the University of Amsterdam as a non-degree seeking student. I capped off my studies with a six-month internship at the prestigious Meulenhoff publishing house. I am also a certified teacher of Creative Writing, trained through DOCS, a program affiliated with the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Now based in Berkeley, California, I write in both English and Dutch while working as a freelance editor and a teacher of creative writing. I teach creative writing on both sides of the Atlantic at conferences and institutions like UC Berkeley’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. I mentor aspiring and published writers.

I have served in numerous prestigious roles within the literary community. I was the chairperson of the Section Children’s Books of the Dutch Authors Guild, and nominated children’s authors and illustrators for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. I was also the Coordinator Children’s and Young Adult Literature for the US of the Dutch Foundation for Literature, and served as the International Published Authors’ Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, after previously holding the position of Regional Advisor for The Netherlands. I was a member and judge of the EU Planning Committee for the Undiscovered Voices Contest of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators British Isles. I continue as a longtime jury member for the Young Authors Fiction Festival of the American Library in Paris.

I am also deeply involved in the Bay Area literary scene, serving on the Program Advisory Committee of the Bay Area Book Festival, where I was previously the Youth Program Director. My commitment to empowering young people is reflected in my work with Cinnamongirl, an Oakland-based grassroots organization dedicated to supporting girls of color. As Director of Programming and Partnerships, I designed and launched the Write Your Story program, which culminated in the publication of I Am the Dream: Voices of a New Generation, now already in its third iteration. Additionally, I created Cinnamongirl’s Entrepreneurgirl program, a six-months initiative aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills in young girls of color.
I hope that my work continues to inspire, educate, and empower through storytelling–whether on the page, in the classroom, or in the literary community.