Celtic Moon

Author Essay

Even as an author it is difficult to put into words what it’s like to see my debut novel greet the world. Surreal might be an overused description, but an accurate one so I will use it. As many of you know, the path to publication is not easy. For me, it was a ten-year learning process, but every rejected novel was one step closer to my goal of becoming a published author and achieving this amazing dream.

I was fortunate to work in a beautiful library for over ten years. I mention this because the library was partially responsible for the inspiration of the Celtic Wolves series. The fantasy aspects are derived from Celtic history and folklore, and then woven into a modern setting. I have since retired from the library, but at the time I worked in the cataloging department when a book on Celtic artifacts came across my desk. It reviewed findings and theories of Celtic beliefs from Celtic art, with depictions of men shifting into animals. Intrigued, I dove into researching Celtic mythology and found more material than I could possibly imagine on wolves and shape-shifting. Let’s just say my paranormal writer’s radar was dinging loudly.

My characters emerged soon after, demanding a place in this magical world. Celtic mythology is nature orientated, so I scattered Celtic tribes across the globe in areas conducive to the habitats of wolves. Just to make things interesting, I also added a civil war, demented Guardians who want to restore their race back to the powerful creatures of Celtic lore, a mother who’s willing to protect her child at all costs, and a husband torn between the people he’s sworn to defend and the safety of his family.

I have often been asked if I knew Celtic Moon was “the one.” The short answer to that is, yes. I had a strong feeling that this book had all the elements for an amazing story. There’s romance and Celtic lore, immortal Celtic warriors who can shift into wolves, a hero who embodies the meaning of true honor, and a heroine who proves that the greatest strength of humanity is what we are willing to sacrifice for the ones we love.

As I introduce you to Celtic Moon, the first installment of the Celtic Wolves series, I am not only grateful for the opportunity, but also for the journey that brought me to this wonderful place. Please know that every sentence, idea and character was personally crafted with care, and I hope that you enjoy the adventure as much as I enjoyed writing it.