About the Author

The soft, cream-colored pages emitted a gentle, slightly fragrant whoosh as she clapped her book shut. She let out a satisfied sigh as she looked up and leaned back, not really seeing the room, her vision instead full of the sights and sounds of the world she just left behind. The story gave her great pleasure and deep satisfaction...and yet, her chest tightened and her heart ached. It was that familiar, unique sense of longing and loss that every good book imparts upon its readers. Despite the unquenchable, frustrating nature of the feeling, she loved it, and it wouldn't be long before she sought out another adventure in another world through another book.

My name is Denise Hutchins and I was, and still am, that girl. I love reading, especially those wonderful, moving stories that stick with you forever. The fantastic works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Patricia C. Wrede, J.K. Rowling, James Gurney, and many others, not only shaped me as a child, but influenced the trajectory of my entire life. Just as they touched my heart, gave me hope, and took me on incredible adventures, I too am becoming a storyteller in my own right, creating worlds through writing and illustration that will inspire my readers and live on in their hearts for generations to come.