About the Author
"So... why did you decide to publish a novel?" That was the first question the interviewer asked me as he held my CV, squinting at it through his square glasses. I stared at him. For the job as Chief of Staff for a small company, I assumed the first question might be, "How did your experience as a Staff Assistant to an Ambassador prepare you for the managerial skills and fast-paced environment of the C-suite?" But no. What captured his attention all those years ago was the line that said, "Author/Entrepreneur." Who knew?
Since that time, whether in my professional or personal life, the title of "author" invites curiosity and excited discussions of people's own dreams, love for reading, and desire to pen their own stories.
Not everyone wants to take the plunge into creative ventures. Cautious individuals think that striking out as an artist is as rational as bungee jumping without a cord. Fellow entrepreneurs shout, “Carpe diem!” and take that leap of faith.
Imagine a world without Di Vinci, J.K. Rowling, or Charles Schultz. I’m sure someone believed a man drawing cartoons about a talking beagle would be the stereotypical “starving artist”. Who could imagine a world without Snoopy? That's what entrepreneurs do - they pour themselves into their writing, music, inventions, and art and make our lives better for it.
That is my goal - to inspire you to seize the day! Explore, take risks, have fun, trust your gut instinct. There are no limits to what you can do when you devote yourself to an endeavor. As Professor O'Leary, Kate's science tutor in The Obsidian Staff. says, it only takes a "what if" to start finding endless opportunities and possibilities.
I’m as devoted an author as Star Wars fans who drives hundreds of miles in Stormtrooper costumes to attend Comicon conventions. After a career in government, I decided it was time to fully dedicate my time to finishing the first novel in a new young adult fantasy fiction series. Having self-published a young(er) adult novel The Noble Rogues in 2006, I had traversed the publishing terrain. Then came along sixteen-year-old Kate Smith in the first book in the series, The Obsidian Staff.
Though I began writing her story in 2012, I worked full time and committed weekend mornings at cafes to completing the drafts of not only The Obsidian Staff but other novels in the series. In 2016, I took a break in my career and put my head down. I moved to a small village in Switzerland, editing the first draft of the novel in between hours biking past cows and goats, hiking the local trails, and, in the summer, swimming in (frigid) outdoor pools. Being in nature always sparked a new idea or birthed a new character. I would race back to my house, pet my cat Blitz, and frantically write down the ideas before they floated away.
Finally, voila! The novel was finished. Which was fortunate, because my savings were growling at me, hungry to be replenished to pay the bills.
I continued to write, fitting it into what time I had. Evenings, weekends, during beach vacations, morning and night.
My life took another unexpected turn in 2022 - the first time I was a signing author at the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, Maryland with Page After Page. Who doesn't want to dress up in period attire and affect a very authentic ("authentic") Irish accent and speak with readers and other authors? A dream come true that I didn't realize was possible. It is tremendously rewarding to give back to the community through art. I recently became involved with my local library - support your libraries, please! - and hold interactive workshops for those wanting to learn more about the writing process.
If you are interested in learning more about upcoming book signings, library events, artist events, or have an idea or request for someone to help artists and entrepreneurs level up, please reach out to thelostlegacyseries@yahoo.com.
Onward!
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