When did you publish The Serpent's Ring?

July 25, 2012

Who is your "target reader?"

The Serpent’s Ring will captivate anyone who is young at heart and enjoys reading about adventure in fantastical places.

Middle-grade fiction (nine and up)

Why did you write the book?

I have spent many hours in Middle-earth, Narnia, Oz, Hogwarts, and the list goes on. I wanted to create a place where readers could escape and enjoy some time in another world.

How long did it take you to write the book?

The first draft took about three months. I spent another three months revising it.

Are you looking forward to writing any more books?

Absolutely. Evan and Claire have many relics to discover, in many different realms. The second book in the Relics of Mysticus series will take the siblings into the Native American spirit world in The Trickster’s Totem.

What is the "take away" message for the reader? (In other words, how will you book help the reader?

Not only do I want to envelop the reader inside another realm, it is also my desire to introduce some of the more obscure gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures in many different realms of mythology. Most people will be able to relate to Claire and Evan and will enjoy watching as they conquer their fears and accomplish extraordinary things.

Tell me a little about yourself; your career, hobbies, etc.

I started writing in high school, a lot of poetry. I continued into college, but in the end, I majored in Art Education. For Eight years, I taught many Art subjects to high school students, including AP. I loved teaching, but decided to stay home to raise my two children. After reading many books, I decided to put my creative efforts into writing a novel. I had the idea for a women’s fiction novel; I just needed to make it happen. I was surprised by how easily writing came to me. One problem, my first draft of Glimmers was pretty terrible. After many revisions and hours and hours learning the finer points of writing, Glimmers became the story I imagined and hoped it would be.

I completed Glimmers in the fall of 2010 and immediately started sending out agent queries, as if they were candy. I had three “nibbles,” but in the end, Glimmers was rejected and ended up in a dresser drawer. It didn’t help that while I was actively sending queries, my husband was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My writing, not to mention my life, went on hold for the entire year of 2011. After my husband had his (successful!) stem cell transplant in June 2011, our “normal” lives slowly returned. In the middle of it all, I had to “escape.” My second novel, The Serpent’s Ring, was brought to life in about three months. This novel will become the first in the YA fantasy series Relics of Mysticus.

With 2012 approaching, I was ready to take control of my life. I had a husband in remission (Yay!), two novels from two completely different genres, and assumed two completely different pennames. After reading many fabulous posts by successful indie-authors, I decided to self-publish Glimmers. Not only did I discover I had the dedication to complete a novel, but I was capable of approaching self-publishing like a business.

Since releasing Glimmers in April 2012, it has won two awards and has been well received by reviewers.