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Hi there, I’m Jackie!

Welcome to swirl & spark.

I’m an author and blogger, a wife and mom, and a creative optimist who never stops daydreaming, setting new goals, or chasing big dreams. I started swirl and spark back in 2013, a few years after I began writing middle grade fiction and dreaming of being published. What started in the beginning as a site for kids who like to write, eventually morphed into a site for people of all ages who like to write.

In 2018, when I finally realized my dream of becoming a published author, swirl and spark evolved again and became my author site. Along the way I’ve loved blogging about writing, cheering for other writers, and helping them make their stories sparkle. And I still do.

But, as swirl and spark celebrates its 10th year, its time for it to get back to its original vision: a place that indirectly motivates kids… a place that encourages their swirling imaginations & sparks of inspiration!

For the whole story of what the site will contain going forward, I blogged all about it on my post: Sparks of Change. For the quick version, well, swirl and spark is now both my author site and a creative problem-solving & team-building site for educators and coaches!

I’m that person who loves creative team-building games & ice-breakers and I have an office full of them. Before I was a children’s author, I was an educator, an Odyssey of the Mind coach, a corporate sales trainer, and a cheerleader. I’ve always liked activities that make you think and use your imagination. And I’ve always loved cheering for a team. I love the energy and enthusiasm of inspiring one. So now, with this new focus, swirl and spark is here to inspire yours!

Whether you’re a coach of an Odyssey of the Mind or Imagination Destination team, a sports team, a parent, or an educator, I hope you’ll find something here that will motivate your team. Maybe it’ll be one of the Crimson Five books, the series that’s all about a team of innovative kids with big dreams. Maybe it’ll be by facilitating some of the new Team Builder activities and Spontaneous Tasks. Or maybe it will even be by signing your classroom up for the 2023-2024 classroom challenge.

Whatever it is, I wish you and your team all the best this year. Coaching and educating kids is one of the biggest challenges around. And if you’re here as a writer, you’re still in the right place too. You’re a huge part of the swirl and spark team and we still need to motivate and support each other!

Thank you, as always, for stopping by. It means so much considering the big dreams you have to chase!