Blog Archives
Inspired the Same Love of Reading
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?
Author Links: Amazon | Website
5 Star review / Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Reader’s Favorite*
Emma has always preferred the company of books over people. She believed in the magic within their pages, never suspecting the worlds they held truly existed. Now she is about to discover just how real those worlds are.
A dark force known as Eraser is ravaging countless realms, destroying their stories one by one. With each tale he consumes, he moves closer to unraveling reality itself.
To stop him, Emma must find the Wizard’s Crystal, a magical prison powerful enough to contain him. If she fails, every world ever written could vanish, leaving no stories left to save.
The Library Between Worlds: Journey to Nirisia
Journey to Nirisia, by Mark K. McClain, is a middle-grade fantasy adventure about Emma, a quiet fourteen-year-old who would rather be with books and her cat than face a new town, new people, or a new life. After moving to Mistwick, she discovers a strange old library and meets Friden, its eccentric Archivist. What begins as a summer job quickly turns into a journey into Nirisia, a magical world threatened by Eraser, a being who feeds on stories, memories, and whole worlds. Emma’s task is to find the Wizard’s Crystal, help save the elves of Moonvale, and decide whether she is braver than she ever believed.
I enjoyed how the book builds Emma from the inside out. She does not arrive on the page ready to be a hero. She is anxious, sharp, awkward, funny, and often unsure of herself, which makes her feel real. I liked that McClain lets her fear stay visible instead of rushing past it. The fantasy elements are big and colorful, with portals, elves, memory trees, magical objects, and shadowy enemies, but the emotional engine is simple: a girl who wants to be safe is asked to care about something larger than herself. That worked for me. It gives the adventure a heart.
The writing has a classic portal-fantasy feel, especially in the way the library becomes both a refuge and a doorway. I could feel McClain’s affection for books in almost every scene set there. The idea that neglected stories can fade or be consumed is not subtle, but it is effective. It makes the genre’s love of imagination feel urgent. The dialogue can be direct at times, and some moments explain more than they need to, but the pace keeps moving, and the sincerity carries a lot of weight. Friden’s odd speech, Faylen’s calm strength, and Cedar’s lighter charm give Emma different kinds of energy to push against, and that helps the story avoid feeling like a solo quest.
By the end, I felt the book was less about defeating a villain than about learning to trust your own instincts. That is a good message for the age group. I would recommend Journey to Nirisia to younger readers who enjoy fantasy adventure, magical libraries, brave but imperfect heroines, and stories where books are treated like living things. Adult readers who like gentle, earnest portal fantasy may enjoy it too, especially if they are looking for something imaginative, accessible, and full of heart.
Pages: 238 | ASIN : B0GYLK6YXM
The Ruinous Curse: The Hunt for Alesta
The Hunt for Alesta kicks off Mark K. McClain’s “The Ruinous Curse” series with the story of Barrett, a prince caught between duty, prophecy, and personal longing. As his kingdom teeters on the edge of war, Barrett discovers not only that magic might live inside him, but also that he’s at the heart of a much larger destiny. Alongside loyal friends Zanora, Gaia, and Unger, he battles dark forces, navigates hidden tunnels and magic festivals, and must decide whether to wield ancient power or follow a simpler path. The book weaves friendship, fear, and growing up into a quest full of danger and mythic weight.
What stood out most to me was how deeply human Barrett felt. He’s not some perfect hero. He hesitates, he doubts, and he fumbles through his feelings for Zanora like any teenager would. That made his story so much more relatable. The magic and world-building had a classic fantasy feel, but the dialogue kept it fresh. There’s a bit of whimsy here, like talking doors, cheeky magical creatures, and floating gossip orbs, but it’s grounded by the looming threat of war and the emotional weight of loss. McClain isn’t afraid to slow down for a tender moment or dive into darker territory.
The setup took a while, and while I enjoyed the time with the characters, I found myself itching for the real stakes to kick in. Still, once the action started, especially with the chase through Ashton and the reveal of Barrett’s power, I was hooked. There’s also a lot of prophecy talk, which can get a little heavy-handed, but it didn’t stop me from caring about the choices Barrett had to make. McClain manages to keep the story from veering into cliché by injecting heart into every turn, even when the tropes feel familiar.
The Hunt for Alesta is a heartfelt and imaginative coming-of-age story wrapped in the trappings of high fantasy. I’d recommend it to younger readers who loved the early Percy Jackson books or fans of coming-of-age tales in magical worlds like Eragon or the Earthsea Cycle. It’s for those who want magic with emotion, action with meaning, and friendships that feel real. It spins a tale worth following, and I’m excited to see where Barrett’s story goes next.
Pages: 301 | ASIN : B0B4V5BMLG
