I love to write, but I am also very involved with eliminating illiteracy and poverty for children around the world. I believe that teaching children to read breaks the cycle of poverty and exploitation of children.

                                                                             Three years ago I created a non-profit organization called Breaking the Chain with the goal of eliminating illiteracy for children. So far, we have raised enough money to build three schools in Africa, one in Kenya and two in Sierra Leone. We also created a children’s literacy center in a woman’s shelter in Colorado, and bought books for reaading programs in the U.S. Currently, we are focusing on our great new program called Bookin"It, which buys books for classrooms in underfunded and/or low-literacy schools in the United States. It's a great program and there is enormous demand! So far, we've put 20,000 new books into high-need elementary schools. My brother, Nick, who is a senior in college, is also part of Breaking the Chain and we are working together to eliminate illiteracy and poverty for children.                                                                                                                                     I I have been speaking to thousands of kids at schools around the country about my books and how important reading and writing have been in my life, about Breaking the Chain, about taking ownership over their own education, and about risking failure to achieve their dreams.

Some of the proceeds from sales of my books go to Breaking the Chain.

For more information about me and my writing go to the FAQs

For more information about Breaking the Chain go to linkbylink.org