Meet MG Author Elle Jacklee

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Elle Jacklee middle grade author of The Tree of Mindala.

First, a bit about Elle:

I live in Wisconsin with my husband and two young children. I believe in karma, and purple is my favorite color. My professional background includes software programming and customer service.  My favorite professional title is “author”.

Why did you pick to write books for Middle Grade readers?

Though I've enjoyed reading from the time of my earliest memories, it was middle grade books that really had the biggest impact on me. When I first escaped to Narnia and Oz is when my love affair with reading really kicked up into a whole new level. That's a big reason why I chose that genre to showcase my debut novel. In my opinion, middle grade books, which tend to be a little more complex than the ones intended for the younger set, provide another opportunity to really light that spark for reading which could snowball into a lifelong passion that can make such a huge difference in someone's life.

What types of books do you like to read?

I'm a huge fantasy fan, as I'm sure comes as no surprise. But I also enjoy historical fiction, romantic comedy, suspense thriller, paranormal, etc. It all depends on my mood!

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Spend time with my family, read, cook, bake, bike, and hike. You'll never hear me utter the phrase, “I'm bored.” There's never a shortage of things that I would like to do, only a shortage of time to do them in!

Tell us about The Tree of Mindala and how the story came to be.

The story for The Tree of Mindala came to me one fall day near Halloween. I was just looking out my window, enjoying the fall colors and the eerie way the wind was whipping some leaves in the corner of my patio into a swirling pile. It reminded me how much I love Halloween, and the idea my main character, Miranda Moon, was born. By the end of that day, I had concocted a cast of characters and a rough outline.

Here'a peek at The Tree of Mindala:

Miranda Moon's vivid imagination has gotten her into trouble more times than she can count. This time, she's been suspended from school. So her straight-laced younger brother, Marcus, blames her when they're relegated to their late grandparents' old cabin over Halloween weekend. But when Miranda finds a curious trinket, they're mysteriously whisked away to Wunderwood, where magic flows through the trees and everyone already knows their family name. A place even Miranda never imagined.

Just as they arrive, a sinister warlock, Thornton Crow, is freed from a long banishment. He resumes his deadly agenda to find The Tree of Mindala, the source of all the realm's magic. As Miranda and Marcus discover branches of their own family tree that they hadn't even known existed, they learn that Thornton has a score to settle with anyone in their bloodline. Especially them... Though justice has always had a way of being naturally restored in Wunderwood, Thornton's latest evil deed just may be the tipping point.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

My current project is The Triad of the Tree: Wunderwood Book Two. I'm really enjoying getting to know the characters on an even deeper level and I'm excited about revealing more of Wunderwood's history to readers.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Write, write, write! The more you write, the better your writing will become. And remember why you write. This is a challenging and highly-competitive industry. For most, success is a long road. So learn as much as you can about marketing your book, and be patient. And most of all, thrive on the challenges, but don't ever let them take the fun out of your craft!

Anything else you want readers to know?

I can't express enough how much I appreciate them and their generous support. They are my most powerful motivation! I'm really looking forward to sharing the next installment of the Wunderwood series with them!

Where can readers find you and your books?

I love connecting with people on Facebook and on Twitter. I also love making new friends on Goodreads.

The Tree of Mindala is currently available at Amazon.