Land of Enchantment

Moving is never easy. Especially when you are about to turn thirteen, forced to leave a lush paradise for a barren wasteland and afflicted by a know-it-all-smart-aleck for a brother. With an old lady for her new neighbor and parents who think looking at rocks is fun, Micay has only her geeky brother to console her. At least he understood that beach bunnies were not meant to be desert rats.


Though she is determined to remain miserable in her new life, little does she know that her neighbor is more than meets the eye and will set her on a grand and ancient adventure that challenges all her preconceived ideas. Land of Enchantment is a fresh take on an old adage, don't judge a book by its cover, and showcases the little known grandeur of the truly enchanting state of New Mexico (yes, it really is a part of the United States).


About the author – Every choice we make changes our story and the stories of countless others interconnected with us. That fascinates me, and it drives me to ask, what if? That ever fluctuating potential of possibility is my Muse, and writing is my mode of exploration. Delving into the mystery of what if and putting it into words is what I want to do for the rest of my life.


The hobbies and activities I enjoy reflect my philosophy of writing. I explore, I adventure and I discover. I practice Wushu, a graceful and acrobatic martial art that is always a challenge. I rock climb to keep my body and spirit strong. I am happiest traveling and discovering new places of beauty. I love being in nature and communing with it, so hiking and camping are regular activities for me. I also enjoy relaxing and reading a good book or watching a good movie. I can often be found at a board game night reveling in the company of loved ones.


I truly believe that we should pursue our dreams with dogged determination. Yes, we may have to slave away at thankless jobs to do it, but if we never give up, we can achieve them. After 5 years of dealing with chronic health problems (which are now thankfully resolved) and writing and traveling for research whenever I could, I am now finally able to present my  debut novel, Land of Enchantment. 


I have a BA in Communicative Arts with a focus on English Literature and a minor in History. I've taught both middle school Language Arts and high school English Literature. I took and graduated from the Children's Literature course at the Institute of Children's Literature and was invited back to take the advanced course which I have since graduated from also. Land of Enchantment is the novel I chose to write as my project for the advanced course, so now I'm honored to be able to publish it. Lastly I have worked as a professional editor for a small publishing company as well as for individual authors. In the near future, I hope my career will consist of writing about what I love.


Keywords: Tween, Adventure, Archaeology, Mystery, Discovery, Imagination, History, Artifacts, Moving, Self-Discovery