Journey to Nirisia follows a quiet fourteen-year-old girl whose summer job quickly turns into a journey to a magical world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

My passion and drive comes from the desire to place compelling books in the hands of an Upper Middle-Grade audience. I write stories that challenge and engage young readers while honoring their intelligence and curiosity. My aim is to inspire the same love of reading that shaped my own childhood.

Many readers will recognize Emma’s anxiety and uncertainty. How did you approach writing those aspects of her character?

Everyone experiences anxiety and uncertainty at some point in life, especially during the teenage years. My stories feature characters who are imperfect—and who are not expected to be anything else. Through their journeys, I hope readers recognize just how awkward, challenging, and complicated life can be. More importantly, I want them to understand that it is perfectly fine to be different, to have fears, and to experience emotions that take time and courage to navigate.

Were there scenes or characters that surprised you while writing the book?

Great question. Truthfully, my answer is no. I knew exactly who I wanted each character to be from the start. Emma, the introvert, is wonderfully flawed, and I wanted her journey to begin that way—filled with doubt, insecurity, and moments of indecision. After all, regardless of age, we all experience these feelings from time to time.

If my writing can make readers think, ‘that’s exactly how I feel,’ then I’ve accomplished my goal. My hope is that my audience sees themselves in these characters and realize they are not alone in their struggles, fears, or uncertainties.

Can you give us a glimpse inside the next installment of this series? Where will it take readers?

I would love to tell you about The Library Between Worlds: The House That Lies. If you love mysteries, this one is for you.

The story summary is: Dunhallow is cursed. Its residents are vanishing without a trace, and though all believe that Ashford House is the cause, none have lived to prove it.

But when Emma, Faylen, and Cedar find themselves in this spooky town, they set out to be the first ones to return with answers. And when someone close to them goes missing, waiting is no longer an option. They must uncover the dark secret hiding behind Ashford House’s walls—or sealed away in its basement. 

Can the trio solve the mystery that an entire town cannot, before Ashford House claims them too?

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