Tid Bits

Just posting a little update. First, I want to thank my friends and family for spreading the word about this book, it has really paid off and it is working! Secondly, there seems to be a debate about how the main character's name is pronounced. So, let me clear that up. It is "Anna-lee" (as in my name reversed).
I also want to note that several book clubs are reading "Within the Flame" right now and I want to invite you to post your opinions about the story or characters on this blog (good or bad). I hope you enjoy the story! Thanks.

Thanks a lot!

Well, my first book signing went off with a few hitches. The books got held up and didn't ship in time to actually be there, however, there were many copies pre-ordered. So, it all worked out. I also got to meet some great authors who gave me good advice and we had a lot of fun. Thanks for coming out and supporting me!

Fiesta Days

Just letting everyone know that I will be having a book signing at the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days. The address is 273 N. Main in Spanish Fork. I will be there on Tuesday from 4pm-6pm. I hope to see everyone there!

What it's all about

As the first post on my blog I have to say that I am tickled pink right now! My debut novel has just been published and I am getting the opportunity to live my dream. I am working on another project right now. Actually, I'm working on several projects, but trying my best to concentrate on just one.

I want to say a bit about why and how I wrote this book. I began a couple years ago to write an auto-biography of sorts about my childhood. I went through some tough times with an eating disorder and getting trapped in an abusive relationship. I had never told anyone, except my husband, anything about it. So, on the path to writing this sad story I thought I'd warn my mother beforehand. Her response was something like "I don't know why you're writing that when you've got such a great imagination. You should be writing a fantasy book." That made me stop writing that particular story and say "Ya, I should be writing a fantasy." I wondered what type of story I should write and decided that the most fun way to write would be Young Adult Fiction. I thought about what I could write, canceling out vampires and witches, because let's face it, I can't compete there! So, I thought about stories I had heard as a child while I lived in Gallup, New Mexico. There were ghost stories told by my Navajo friends about mysterious and evil beings called "Skin Walkers". It wasn't so much the stories that were frightening as much as the fact that my friends really believed they were true. So, I based my story off of this. There was a particular cave in Gallup near the elementary school I attended known as "Witches Cave" where it was said that the skin walkers hung out. I just had to include that in my story! But, being the hopeless romantic I am, I had to make the story about a couple who tries to overcome adversity and keep together through the supernatural trials they face. But who comes out alive? I hope you'll read my story and find out! (I know, I'm such a tease. lol)