Wow, where to start? I have been writing pretty much since I could talk, but beginnings are always the hardest part for me. After more than a decade of day-dreaming, planning, sketching, scribbling, and (believe it or not) some actual writing, it’s amazing to finally have a product that is so near completion. I’ve got a draft manuscript undergoing the last round of edits, I’ve got a title, I’ve got cover art, and I’ve even got an ISBN. Now, on top of the book itself, I’ve got a website, a Twitter that in less than an hour of existence has nine whole followers, an official Facebook page, and even a Tumblr. Eventually I will figure out how to use each of these wondrous social media accounts.

In the mean time, I will keep working on getting Destined ready to publish!

Destined narrates the adventures of four friends—Maraka “Mari” Rojko, Laria Sumner, Gren Vandern, and Howard “Hal” Smith—as they step through a mushroom circle and enter the mystical, mythical otherworld of Aorea. With only a few half-remembered dreams to guide her, Mari leads the group on a quest across the mountains and through the heart of the Endless Forest. They encounter both allies and enemies along the way, including a group of jealous leshii, several ticked off Slavic deities, and one hungry dragon. If they can’t reach the sanctuary in time, chaos threatens not only Aorea, but also the world they abandoned: Earth.

I have been building the mystical, mythical otherworld of Aorea since 2002. Destined has undergone some serious changes over the years, not least of all to the main characters and the general plot line. Heck, I even changed the name of the book! Originally it was called The Spinner’s Journey, which I always considered to be more of a working title until something better popped into my head, which, luckily, it did. The version that will very soon be on your Kindles, courtesy Amazon, has little in common with that first middle school manuscript, apart from the name of the world itself. Aorea has always been Aorea, no matter what else about the stories that take place there has changed.

Now, if you’ve looked at the cover art as well as my profile picture, you may have noticed a few similarities in appearance between one of my protagonists and me. That would be Mari. We both have crazy curly hair, green eyes, and usually sport a tan, but there the similarities end. Once you read the story, if you know me, you’ll see what I mean. Mari is way more badass than I could ever be, and far more impulsive. So why does she look a little like me? Simple: vanity. I always wanted to read about a heroine who resembled myself growing up, but there weren’t many fantasy adventure books featuring a short, dark Slovak girl. So I made one. It’s called Destined. Actually, considering she features prominently in all of the Circle books (there are three more in the works—but rest assured, they won’t take nearly as long to write as the first!), I am making four.

Stay tuned for more updates, blog posts, and whatever else pops in my head. Thanks for stopping by!