A fantasy with a female protagonist—a young woman/girl whose job it is to save the day! That concept jump-started the writing of The Abode.

As much as I worship J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter books and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings—as much as those stories enriched and even changed my life—I wanted to give a female a chance to be the Frodo or the Harry for a change.

Of course, I’m not the first. The first item that returns from a Google search lists 70 of the best female-fantasy protagonists. But so many of those stories contain themes and plots that, I fear, target an older audience than The Abode. The beauty of Tolkien and Rowlings’ series is that, by the age of 8 (or younger?), anyone can enjoy them.

So that’s been my goal here: To make Molly undertake the heroine’s journey, find out who and what she really is, and, with the help of friends of both genders—and a few animals and magic creatures—save the day.

Important note: Boys need not shy away. Plenty of strong male characters show up throughout The Abode and play crucial roles in getting the day saved.