Every story begins somewhere. For me, it began in childhood, when imagination felt as natural as breathing.
I was about six years old when my grandfather first asked me, as I got ready for bed, “What kind of story do you want tonight?” I’d say, “Princess,” or “Fairies,” and without hesitation he would begin weaving a tale, right there on the spot. Those nights are etched in my memory with the magic of words spinning into whole new worlds, and the feeling of being carried away into wonder.
A few years later, when I was twelve, I went to summer camp. On hikes through the woods, our counselor would point to hollow tree stumps and whisper that fairies lived inside. I can still remember the way my imagination lit up, how suddenly the forest felt alive with hidden secrets and unseen stories.
That spark never went away. Years later, when I was raising children of my own, I passed on the gift of stories when reading to them most every night, just as stories had once been read and told to me. Those evenings of closeness and love remain among my most treasured memories.
And always, I read. Fantasy was my first love, but I also devoured mysteries, thrillers, and spy novels. Eventually, I began to wonder if I could create a story of my own. I started small, writing for the joy of it. Over time, that joy became something more. Little by little, the threads of imagination wove together into what is now The Weavings of Akaria.
It began as a spark. A story whispered at bedtime. A fairy in a hollow stump. And now, it has grown into a whole world waiting to be explored.
I’m so excited to share Akaria with you. My hope is that, as you read, you’ll feel some of that same sense of wonder I felt as a child. The sense that there is always more to discover, and that light and hope are never too far away.
Have you ever had a moment in childhood that sparked your imagination? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!