I started my first novel in January 2010 and loved the ability to create beauty, develop intrigue, and kill off rotten characters. Hahaha. Most of the characters I resurrected by deleting their demise, but it sure was therapeutic and helped me through my often difficult personal struggles. And somewhere during that time, my three tiny girls grew up into big girls (my oldest is nearly 12) and left me wondering where the time went. Now it's 2015 and I'm mostly finished with the 4,879th draft (I might be exaggerating slightly) of my novel Starlight Legend: Seeking Realm, and I'll be looking for an agent soon. I am aiming for a triology, and Book 2: Shadow Realm is in the prewriting stage. I know authors aren't supposed to design their own book covers, but graphic design is also my therapy, and here is the cover I have settled on with the feedback of my friends and family. Starlight Legend: Seeking Realm is a YA Fiction/Fantasy with clean romance that appeals to both teens and women of all ages because it takes the reader to a magical place where life's problems are put into perspective, and the stubborn questions of life can find answers.
I hope to see Starlight Legend hit the shelves eventually, and maybe it will be a book that speaks to your soul.After her first heartbreak, a teenage girl discovers a forgotten realm where she must save a dying star while battling betrayal, or the emotion of love will be lost forever. STARLIGHT KISS is a YA Fantasy Romance complete at 109,000 words.Elliana has never forgiven herself for speaking five cruel words in seventh grade. She probably deserves her recently broken heart, and she swears off love completely.On the anniversary of her parents’ fatal car accident, Elliana is distracted and accidentally backs her car into Cai, the son of a personal injury attorney. Cai flirts with her and suggests a certain star is dimming from the lack of heartfelt kisses. She’s not ready to test his theory, so she agrees to kiss him only if and when the kiss means something. But the next day she discovers a portal to a fantasy Realm connected to Star, Idaho, where she is stunned to learn she must save the same dying star from her deal with Cai—or the emotion of Love will die as well.Now motivated by her growing relationship with Cai, she accepts the challenge and becomes a target of sabotage aimed at her by a jerk-face ex-friend who belongs to the enemy realm. Barely escaping several life-threatening circumstances, Elliana determines to save the Star and pursue her first romantic relationship with the help of the Seeking Realm—but that means more risks, and risks really haven’t worked out well for her yet. (Think tension. Lots of tension.)STARLIGHT KISS will attract readers aged 12-24 and those who enjoy clean romance and HEA fairytales with great dialogue and compelling characters (think modern Goose Girl meets The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). This is a stand-alone book and a great selection for book clubs because it deals with relationship struggles and other setbacks that will resonate with many readers.
Life has been good--the world is full of wonderful people, fun, joy, work, stress, and rotten times, but life has been most beautiful through it all. I hope you are all doing well. What have you been up to? What genres do you like to read? What are some of your favorite books?
Alana
About Alana: I earned my BS in Sociology in 2001 and my Masters of Organizational Behavior in 2003, and I currently teach First-Year and Advanced Composition at San Juan College in Farmington, NM. I attended the StoryMakers conference in May 2015. And when I’m not teaching nor sweeping up after my three girls, I enjoy calligraphy, oxford comma memes, and eating large bags of sour patch kids.
