One of the first questions that I’m usually asked is, “When did you know you wanted to write?” And without a doubt, my answer is always the same—when my 4th grade teacher, Miss. Rebecca Sheehan, assigned a 2-page short story to the class that could be about anything. Anything? Anything. Being the teacher’s pet and studious 9-year-old that I was, I set about writing an adventure story (The Enchanted Jungle Figure) made up of 10 chapters, 2-4 foolscap (long-ass pages they made us write on) sheets each, and written in good copy using cursive writing.
She wanted 2 pages—lol! You could say I got a little carried away. From that point on, I couldn’t stop writing. Adventure stories were, and continue to be, my passion. Indiana Jones and The Goonies were my main inspiration. At that time, people didn’t write stories like that for kids like me. Sure, I read the Narnia Chronicles and the Wrinkle in Time quadrilogy, but after that I couldn’t find any other books to satisfy my need for adventure. And people liked what I was writing. Okay, my teacher, my mother, and her best friend gushed over my stories. Even some of my friends were excited about them, but I suspect only because they were the main characters 😉.
So, yeah, I’ve been consciously writing stories since the age of 9. That’s over 3 decades of tall tales, learning how to write, and venturing into the dramatic arts to help me better understand my characters. My theatre and creative writing degrees, along with my education degree set me on a path of learning how to write… better. Better plots, better characters, better everything. Each of my published works (and there are over 20 of them now) is a new chance to explore and create and use what I’ve learned.
The White Raven series is my most current adventure, started with book one: The Hollow Kiss. It is my favorite not just because it’s newest, shiniest thing I’ve written, but because it encapsulates everything I’ve learned so far on my writing journey. It’s the best thing I’ve ever written, and people other than my mother have actually agreed with me—lol!
The story, the characters, and the writing are real and resonate not only in my heart, but in the hearts and minds of other readers, too. The blend of adventure, emotional upheaval, and realistic interactions has finally pulled together to create my magnum opus. It’s easy for a writer to love their own work, but reading the reviews that have come in so far have given me such joy to know that this story resonates “out there” too. I hope you enjoy it.
Bloody Walls and Supernatural Espionage Were Not on the Final Exam
Graduation meant a whole new world away from the labels of outcast and freak, but a supernatural abduction leaves Corvina Dray with a hole in her memory and a deadly kiss.
Inexplicably drawn to a dark stranger in a back alley, Dray’s soul-sucking lip-lock lands her with a DB and the local PD on her trail. Then, a girl she doesn’t remember shows up out of nowhere and helps her dispose of the corpse.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane. No… it’s a murder-hornet!
Stuck in raven form after her run-in with the most insane wizard alive, Dray is content to focus on healing. But the djinn she negotiated help from has other plans. He sends a warning via stinger in mid-air, forcing Dray to shift before she’s ready. The hostile calling card parrots in her head as she plummets to the ground: Time’s up. Favour’s due.
No job. No alliance. No clue…
This isn’t about Dray finding herself anymore. This is war. Her BFF-Familiar is holding the fort at the club. Wolf Boy is in uber Nexus protection mode, and the drive-her-mentalist is tracking a missing dragon.
It’s time to go hunting… but seeking the essence required to jumpstart the Blade of Balance drops Dray squarely in everyone’s crosshairs. Really, nowhere better to be than on the brink of social annihilation behind enemy lines. Unfortunately, the key to unlocking the power of the Blade lies with Dray’s less-than-strategic ability to negotiate with severely unbalanced forces… and deciphering the meaning of the final riddle.
MJ Moores’ has dabbled in all things writing since the age of nine. With a minor in creative writing, a decade teaching high school English and Drama, and more than twenty full-length works of fiction under her belt, her seven years as a freelance editor can only be the cherry on top of a life surrounded by story and words. Lately, you can find her working at the library on the days she’s not dealing with a flurry of words for her latest book.
MJ loves to write upper YA adventure in sci-fi, fantasy, and suspense. Her newest series, The White Raven, is a fast-paced urban fantasy with a strong female lead, and a hint of mystery. Imagine Legacies meets Lost Girl — Hold your breath and dive into the adventure.
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From the Editor
Thank you to the Silver Dagger Book Tours for their Contribution to our online Magazine Today! We will be participating in a number of their book tours over the coming months. We would encourage any North Florida Writers who would like to Guest Post on this site or be a featured author on the North Florida Writers Tour website then please get in touch using our CONTACT US form.
Can’t thank you enough for spotlighting my new series 🙂 If anyone has any questions about writing, the indie journey, or my books please feel free to ask. I will be stopping by throughout the week.