More About Me
I lived most of my childhood in a hundred-year-old farmhouse set on two acres in Holly, Michigan — climbing trees, selling zucchini at the edge of our yard, laughing with my six siblings, playing with friends, and reading. For a few of those years, I lived with my family in the fabulous city of São Paulo, Brazil.
In high school, I worked at a haunted restaurant, acted in plays, and generally had a blast. I then headed off to Brigham Young University in Utah where I earned a BA in Special Education and taught elementary school for a couple years.
Somewhere in there, I served a mission for my church in Hawaii and married my husband. The summer our first daughter was born, we lived in Japan for an internship. It was there, between the late nights and long days of new motherhood, that I rekindled my love for reading.
A couple years later, now with two kids and settled in California, a phone call changed my life. My sister needed ideas for a picture book writing class. Suddenly, I was full of them! I pulled the car over and scribbled one on a literal napkin, sure that I could get it published ASAP.
Well, fifteen years, two more daughters, and an MFA degree later, I sold my debut novel, Wish on a Willow. During those years, I received over 300 rejections from agents and editors on various projects. If I could have quit, I would have. But once that fire was lit, it refused to go out.
I write for connection and to foster empathy. To build bridges through story.
Fun Facts About Me
- I have been sky diving (in college, with a buddy).
- I have been bungee jumping (as a 41-year-old mom, with my two teenage daughters).
- I might be the friend encouraging you to jump off a cliff (A small one! Into water! Safely!).
- My favorite form of exercise is hiking. My least favorite is yoga (flexibility problems).
- I have epilepsy (well-controlled through medication).
- Our family has a very literary goldendoodle named Winnie (named for Winn-Dixie, Winnie the Pooh, and Winnie Foster), and my younger girls perfected the art of begging until I got them a hamster. It took several years. His name is Milk Dud.
- I have a parentheses problem (I'll try to do better).
- I have a big family. They are all awesome.
- Two of my grandparents were born in Mexico, and both of my parents lived there for a time as kids. That's probably why my name is Maria. Many people in my family speak fluent Spanish. I wish I were one of them.
- My last name, Oka, is Japanese because my husband is half-Japanese. A couple of our daughters have learned Japanese through an immersion program at our elementary school.
- Being a mom to my four girls is the best job I'll ever have.
- I am so awful at video games that when I play with my girls, they feel very bad for me.
- My husband and I met when we were eighteen. He's still my favorite.
- I know a little bit of Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and ASL. I know a lot of English.
- I think that I'm a really nice person, but my favorite theater role from high school was Lady Macbeth, who is very much NOT a nice person.
- My favorite flowers are purple lilacs.
- I have lived in three different countries and traveled to eighteen…many more to go!
- I love dance parties. I have secret ambitions to be a DJ.
- I'm pretty sure that ice cream fixes everything.