I want to share a little behind the scenes with you of how I became an author and wrote my first novel.

When I began this journey I actually didn’t set out to write a full-length novel. Originally I thought I’d tackle to project without words but as I outlined and explored some of the early world and characters I quickly found that I wanted to give them voices. Thus began my journey to becoming an author.

I created the original line work for this piece last fall for the Month of Fear challenge. I wanted to explore a quiet place, not necessarily frightening or scary. I've been exploring many connected ideas revolving around the jungle themes I've been writing about jumped at the oportunity to pull this piece back out and paint it.

A watercolor painting for the Month of Love challenge theme "Secrets".

This year I will be creating art centered around my foxdragon character and exploring more the relationship between it and a little girl and more my fantastical environments. "The Book of Spells" was created for the challenge theme secrets. I loved the idea of these two friends meeting in a vast leafy jungle, hidden under layers of monstera plants.