Halli is a shy, young dwarf who has no idea of her true
calling. When the evil Prince Gastle sets out to detroy the world of Phantasma,
Queen Laurali of the Elves comes to tell Halli she's a Holy Paladin with the
power to heal, and will join The Chosen, a group of brave warriors being sent
to defeat the evil beast and save Phantasma. Will Halli be accepted by her
group, and be able to keep them alive through their adventures? Will the evil
Prince Gastle be defeated, freeing Phantasma from his destruction? Only time
will tell.
From the Author
I wanted to write a book. When I started, I thought I’d love
to write adult romance novels because my favorite author is Danille Steel. But
my first attempt didn’t go very well. I had a lot of trouble writing in an
adult voice and in adult language. So, I decided to write for children. But
what? I had no clue.
Then, one day, I was watching the movie, “The Seeker: The
Dark is Rising,” and I thought, “I love fantasy! I want to write a children’s
fantasy novel.”
I had read “Harry Potter” and loved the series. So, I decided
I wanted to write my own fantasy series for teens. At the time, I was playing
an online role-playing game with my family and friends, and I decided to take
our characters, build a world for them, and write adventures for them to go on.
And so, “The Chosen” was born.
As I began writing the book, and subsequent books, I
realized that I was basing the heroine on me: a shy girl who comes in to her
own with the help of her friends. I then decided I wanted to use my books as a
way to reach teens like me who were a bit shy and had trouble forming
friendships in school. I wanted them to learn how to reach out and become the
hero in their lives. That’s when I came up with my mantra, “Reach for the
stars, and make your dreams come true.” I think that’s the message my books,
starting with “The Chosen,” put forth. I hope my readers are receiving and
understanding the message.
Reviews of “The
Chosen”
“A great YA fantasy.”
“Great read for a young fan of fantasy.”
“Video game meets fairy tale.”
“Choose the Chosen.”
“Excellent read, aimed at younger audiences, my son loved
it!”
Behind the Scenes
While writing the book, I learned that things can change on
you along the way. You may have started out with one plot in mind, but in the
middle of the book, suddenly things will change, and the plot will go in
another direction. The story truly comes to life! The characters do really talk
to you!
And ideas really do come to you in the middle of the night.
I remember I’d been trying to come up with a scene that had to be acted out
perfectly in the book so my audience could vividly see it in their heads. I’m
very bad at “show don’t tell,” so writing this part was really hard for me.
Then, one night, it hit me: I knew exactly how to write it. Luckily, I had a
pen and notebook on my nightstand. I grabbed them and began writing ferociously
until the scene was completed. The next day, I added it to the book, and it was
perfect.
So, you never know what’s going to happen to your book while
you’re writing it. It’s a roller coaster ride. You have to hang on and take the
ups and downs as best you can, then put them all together in a concise
storyline.
Thanks for having me, Rachelle :)
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds really good. I can't wait to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!
Thanks Liss! Enjoy :)
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