Hi, I’m Barbara

I founded Finch & Squirrel on a love of stories and the belief that everyone has stories worth sharing and anyone can learn to write well.

I’ve been writing since I learned to read—I was the kid hiding in a tree with a notebook and pencil, making up stories about fairies and monsters. Back then, if you’d asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said a writer and a teacher.

Building a career around writing came naturally. In my corporate communications work, I was a confident writer. But somehow writing speeches for executives felt less scary than sharing my personal stories, so for years they stayed tucked away.

My granddaughters inspired me to write my first picture books, though I took my sweet time about it. Surviving a brain tumor gave me the swift kick I needed. After that, I stopped waiting for “someday.” Editing and publishing my late sister’s memoir clarified my purpose even further: I’m in this work for legacy.

Not long after, I began teaching graduate writing courses at Georgetown University. In the classroom, I discovered how much I love teaching the craft of writing. I tell my students that great writing is 20 percent creativity and 80 percent craft, and anyone can learn how to write well. 

Finch & Squirrel brings my childhood dreams together: writing and teaching. It’s where I help people find their voices and tell the stories only they can tell.

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