Readers first met the Hmong orphan girl, Mai Yang, in my picture book, THE WHISPERING CLOTH, in which she struggles with life in a Thai refugee camp. To pass the time and to build self-esteem Grandma teaches Mai how to do pa'ndau, traditional decorative stitchwork. In my middle grade novel, TANGLED THREADS, Mai is now 13 and "fresh off the plane" in Providence. The book details her attempts to assimilate in the fast and loose American culture. Now, following up those award-winning books is a YA novel, STITCH IN TIME. Mai is a high school senior, having fun with her friends on a Hmong dance team, excelling in textile art and hoping to attend an art school. But a tragic reunion with her refugee camp crush, Yia, throws her life into disarray. He is now twice a widower and has two young boys. Helping him to recover, Mai finds her feelings rekindled. How can she balance a secret love life, her family and school obligations along with her future dreams?