I write because words can change how we think about the world. To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, or Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio are books that changed readers’ lives.

I write because books give us the power to find ourselves after we lose ourselves in them. Books can teach us that with perseverance (and maybe a little humor) we can all find our way even when the world is unkind.

I write because when we read, we learn empathy. And empathy leads to action. And action, well that's the stuff that changes the world!

And it all starts with reading.