NEWS FLASH! -- Bell Bridge Books is giving away a free copy of MOONSTONE to one lucky commenter. And Marilee is giving away a free copy of her medieval romance CASTLE LADYSLIPPER !
Hi, I’m Marilee Brothers…I think. I’m feeling a bit schizoid after writing three books in three different genres with two different names. My first, Castle Ladyslipper is a medieval 
romance written under the pseudonym Lee Grantier, my long departed grandmother’s name. My second—but actually my third—is a humorous mystery with romantic elements. The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam will be published in October, 2009. My third, Moonstone, a YA fantasy, is available RIGHT NOW from the the lovely ladies of Bell Bridge Books and my second book published under my real name. Confused yet?
Happily, I believe I’ve found my niche in the YA genre and I owe it all to the miserable creature I was at age fourteen. Taller than every boy in my class (they caught up in high school), I was painfully shy and convinced I was unlovely and unlovable. Allie Emerson, the teenage girl in Moonstone has the character traits I longed for at that age. Despite her difficult home situation, she’s strong minded, rarely at a loss for words, stands up to bullies and, best of all, has telekinetic power and a magic moonstone pendant!
I could have used a little magic back then. The memory is still vivid. A group of us playing a kissing game, probably spin the bottle. I found myself in a closet with a freckle-faced, earnest young man a head shorter than me. I dropped into a half-crouch. He stood on his tiptoes. Our knees banged together. Somehow, against all odds, we exchanged an chaste peck on the lips, our faces hot with embarrassment.
As adults, we speak of “teenage angst” as if we’ve forgotten how painful those years can be. But, deep down, we don’t forget. It becomes part of our personal journeys. Writing about Allie helped me look back at myself—that gangly, vulnerable girl of fourteen—put my arms around her and murmur, “It’s okay to be a late bloomer. I wish I could tell you…the best is yet to come.”
Allie’s journey is just beginning. As a result of writing her story, I now look into my rear-view mirror and smile. Did I just hear the sound of a young girl giggling? Swear to God, Alfrieda Carlotta Emerson! You helped me grow up!
What about you? Do you consider your teen years “the best time of your life?” Any embarrassing moments you’d like to share?
