I
grew up in a large, but ambitious family. I have six siblings. All but a select
few of us would land squarely in the Slytherin house if placed under the
scrutiny of Harry Potter’s sorting hat. This is because our parents encouraged
us to obtain what they called “serious” college degrees followed by high-paying
jobs. It goes without saying that college was not an option, it was a
requirement.
My
parents had noble reasons to support their position on career choices. My mother
felt it was important for each of us to have an education and a career to
support ourselves rather than relying on the financial assistance of others. My
father found joy in his professional success, and he wanted his children to do
the same.
This
kind of encouragement had its drawbacks. It completely ruled out any kind of
art as a profession. An education in creative writing was not an option I even
considered. Instead, I choose my career as
a lawyer for financial rather than emotional reasons.
I
spent seven years studying to be a lawyer, followed by nearly ten years
practicing law. Was I financially secure? Yes. But I wasn’t emotionally secure.
There was something missing in my life. I
eventually discovered that writing filled that empty void.
When
I started writing, I still did not consider it a career. I woke up early every
morning to write for several hours before diving back into the grind of law
practice. I thought about character creation and story plots while driving to
and from work, but never while I was working. I would get to work, shut my
creative brain off, and turn back to my everyday life. That stark separation
between creativity and money was how I came to realize that I needed to find a
way to make writing my career.
I cannot
say that writing is my primary career even now after my first book, Witches’
Quarters, is available for purchase. I can say that making writing my career is my goal. And I am ambitious, a
Slytherin at heart, so I believe I will get there. I just need to sell one book
at a time and write like mad.
Witches’ Quarters
Laura M. Snider
Genre: YA fantasy
Laura M. Snider
Genre: YA fantasy
Publisher: Clear Fork Publishing
Date of Publication: 10/8/18
ISBN: 978-1946101792
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: 85,655
Tagline: Greed and inequality leads to bloodshed in the mythical world of Nova.
Book Description:
Charlotte's parents are fighting again. As the oldest of four children, Charlotte needs something to distract her three siblings. June, the youngest, takes a quarter from a bag and drops it in a tree-shaped coin bank. But these are no ordinary quarters. The kids are transported to a new world - one that resembles the scene on the back of the coin.
That world is Nova, and Nova is at war. The four siblings are now thrust into the middle of this war between the witches and the animal warriors. A raccoon named Ringo offers a way home - but the kids must first fight alongside the animals. Younger sister Ava wants to fight. Charlotte doesn't trust the warriors and wants to look for her own way out.
Charlotte and Ava become separated when they each follow their instincts. On their own, each girl discovers mysteries about Nova that place their family in peril. Now Charlotte and Ava have to find one another again - a task wrought with danger and deception - before it's too late.
About the Author:
Laura M. Snider is a writer residing in Des Moines, Iowa. She grew up in Topeka, Kansas with seven siblings, one of which is her twin sister. Laura moved to Des Moines in 2006 to attend Law School and fell in love with the city. She still lives in Des Moines and is a managing partner in the law firm Johnson, Bonzer and Barnaby, PLC. Laura lives with her husband, three children, two dogs, and one very old cat.
While Laura's career has been law, she has always loved books. And after finding so much joy in the writing of others, Laura decided to start writing novels of her own. It was this love of books coupled with Laura's close-knit family that propelled her to finish her first novel. Laura wrote her debut novel, Witches Quarters,' as a Christmas present for her niece, who shares Laura's love of books.
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