The first novel that I simply couldn’t put down was The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I’m sure there had to be some Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis before that, but Blackbird Pond sticks out because I was ten years old and suddenly there were boys (where did they come from?), and Kit and Nat’s story made me a little swoony. 

Well, the swoons got worse as I headed into high school and met Jane Austen and her men said things like, “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” (Yes, please . . . tell me, Darcy), and I was also introduced to Shakespeare for the first time. My life changed forever upon that meeting (more about that in a bit), and suddenly, my swoons didn’t lead to lovers riding off into the sunset. Romeo says that Juliet “doth teach the torches to burn bright” and we’re swept up in their romance, but it’s mingled with suffering, loss and a yearning that will never be completely satisfied. 

I’ve surrounded myself with books since I was little, and I’ve always had a passion for reading. If you want to see what a true nerd I am, my private library is a fine place to start. While earning my Bachelor’s degree in English, I worked as a manager at Borders Books, and I continued to work there for more than ten years before they sadly closed their doors for good. During that time, I saw the young adult genre expand from a few shelves near the children’s section, into its own department that took up a grand bit of real estate at the coveted “front of store.” Young adult is a genre that intrigues me because things can be so new and exciting when you’re young, but the story takes on real color and life if those young characters have to tackle some adult problems (you know, like falling in love with a vampire . . . total adult problem. And yes, I am a big fan!). 

Sophie and Zach’s story is the result of all that experience: some swoons, suffering, yearning, and definitely some young people tackling adult problems. It’s a story that lived in me for a long time before I decided to see what would happen if I sat down to write it, and I’m happy to share it with you! 

I am still writing their story since I always envisioned it as a trilogy. If you want to test your passion as a writer, keep writing even when life doesn’t allow you the time to do it — sneak it in whenever you can, and even if you end up with one sentence on the page (and still debating whether or not you even like that sentence), eventually, you will get there. I recently graduated with my Master’s in Shakespeare and Theatre from The Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham, England. During summer and winter breaks, and even between papers, I kept writing this saga. Somewhere between Hamlet’s inability to take action (but incomparable talent for waxing poetic!), and Prospero’s tempestuous revenge, my own characters continued to find their way . . . and yours can too.

XOXO