CastleGate Magazine August 2014 | Page 4

At first, it was because I had challenged myself to write a book in a month. I took part in National Novel Writing Month and wanted to write at least 50,000 words in one month. I had just finished my very first book, which I have yet to publish. Once I had finished the book that had taken half a lifetime to create, the words seemed to flow endlessly for this challenge. I did not attempt to publish The Land of the Shadows first, because I needed to tighten up some of the story line and make my heroine stronger. When I started delving into her world, I fell in love with the images I was creating. I’ve had plenty of shadows walk into my own life. Many people have. This book is about that struggle, but also about lifting yourself out of the darkness and walking in the light. It is like a healing balm for the soul as it reminds people about the power of love and how forgiveness can uplift you when the world seems to let you down. Why should people buy it? The Land of the Shadows has it all: magic, love, heartbreak, action, adventure, good vs. evil, and don’t forget the wicked shadows with piercing eyes with a haunting yellow glow. I’m very much in love with the different settings I created in this book. I can still picture them in my mind whenever I want to. One of my fans told me that she had dreamt about The Land of the Shadows each night that she was reading it. Her dreams were filled with haunting skyscrapers, isolated subways, and landscapes I had depicted inside my monotone world beneath our feet. I am also in love with the concept that soul mates exist and that love is the most powerful magic in the world. My hero, Hu