Soon, Debra Smith will release her third book of the Secrets Beyond Scymaria fantasy series—under the pen name of dj jameson smith—through her new publisher, Inknbeans Press. The target audience of middle- and high school-grade readers and the reluctant reader in particular will find the series captivating. Readers as young as nine, on up to and including adults, are drawn in from the beginning as the young protagonists deal with their middle school classmates and repeatedly encounter a sinister professor. Amy and Ty's friendship with a strange creature creates suspense-filled adventures, especially once they discover their new friend happens to be a guardian of a portal to another world.
All of her books (as they are published) can be found on her Amazon author’s page.
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At least three more books will come out of the Secrets Beyond Scymaria series from my intuitively written tale. I have a vague idea of where I want it to go, but I've found if I manipulate it too much, my characters unceremoniously take the reins, yanking it back to where they have planned.
In 1999, I played with the idea of enlarging on a new story; similar to the stories I’d created in my classroom storytelling. All had two protagonists (not the norm—writers “in the know” kept telling me to stick with one!), some means of transport taking them to and from another world/dimension … and all were G-rated. I’m not one for swearing, or for anything that might be construed as vulgar. I am of a mind that a story can be told without all of that.
Life has a way of mixing things up though, taking its participants in unplanned directions. Mine was a long break from writing—caregiving for my Alzheimer’s-diagnosed dad after my mom died suddenly from an aneurysm. That and raising my daughter with a husband in failing health, then his death, kept me busy—and drained. No ideas. Nothing. I was in a proverbial desert creatively. I was able to keep my storytelling alive by following my daughter, grade by grade, to weave my stories in her classes. I was often an invited guest to spin tales in other classes.
When asked about this series, I usually say 1999, but the real story did not truly begin to unfold until 2007—not too long after my husband’s death. I found myself writing whenever possible—at all hours—until finally, the 80,000-word manuscript was ready to edit. My impatience (and a “stroke of luck”—no such thing as luck, I say) had me dividing the large novel into three novellas—far more manageable for editing purposes and it was then I realized, far better for enticing reluctant readers to crack open a book. Things always happen for a reason, don’t they?
I must confess, I could not have done any of it without the guidance of God—He has been (and still is) my guiding light and I know this story is of His doing.
Not mine. As always, I am merely the conduit.
Visit DJ;s author page at Amazon for Books 1 & 2 of Secrets Beyond Scymaria and watch for Book 3, The Scymarian, coming September 25th, 2015 from Inknbeans Press.
All of her books (as they are published) can be found on her Amazon author’s page.
• • •
At least three more books will come out of the Secrets Beyond Scymaria series from my intuitively written tale. I have a vague idea of where I want it to go, but I've found if I manipulate it too much, my characters unceremoniously take the reins, yanking it back to where they have planned.
In 1999, I played with the idea of enlarging on a new story; similar to the stories I’d created in my classroom storytelling. All had two protagonists (not the norm—writers “in the know” kept telling me to stick with one!), some means of transport taking them to and from another world/dimension … and all were G-rated. I’m not one for swearing, or for anything that might be construed as vulgar. I am of a mind that a story can be told without all of that.
Life has a way of mixing things up though, taking its participants in unplanned directions. Mine was a long break from writing—caregiving for my Alzheimer’s-diagnosed dad after my mom died suddenly from an aneurysm. That and raising my daughter with a husband in failing health, then his death, kept me busy—and drained. No ideas. Nothing. I was in a proverbial desert creatively. I was able to keep my storytelling alive by following my daughter, grade by grade, to weave my stories in her classes. I was often an invited guest to spin tales in other classes.
When asked about this series, I usually say 1999, but the real story did not truly begin to unfold until 2007—not too long after my husband’s death. I found myself writing whenever possible—at all hours—until finally, the 80,000-word manuscript was ready to edit. My impatience (and a “stroke of luck”—no such thing as luck, I say) had me dividing the large novel into three novellas—far more manageable for editing purposes and it was then I realized, far better for enticing reluctant readers to crack open a book. Things always happen for a reason, don’t they?
I must confess, I could not have done any of it without the guidance of God—He has been (and still is) my guiding light and I know this story is of His doing.
Not mine. As always, I am merely the conduit.
Visit DJ;s author page at Amazon for Books 1 & 2 of Secrets Beyond Scymaria and watch for Book 3, The Scymarian, coming September 25th, 2015 from Inknbeans Press.
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