MY STORY

I have been writing for a long time. The first book I wrote was about 20 pages with an adobe stock photo as the cover when I was around six years old.  I then began a series when I was around seven. My dad sat with me every night and typed exactly what I told him to onto a word document since I lacked the ability to type at my age. When I turned nine it was decided that I learn the skill of typing. I was taking a course, but I didn't truly master typing until I finished my third book, The Biggest Birthday Ever.

I continued to write for years, but I didn't finish anything in between ages ten and thirteen. I had begun over 4o books and had even more plots brewing in my brain. The problem was that I could not decide on one to finish.

When I was twelve, I began to read young adult books. My library card was updated so that I could access the YA section, yet I rarely used it. Mostly, I stayed in the children's section of the library. They had the best, happiest books in the world there. The only problem was that I had read all of them.

So, my slow integration into young adult books separated me from the lovely books I was used to, and left me with the disparity of the young adult section.

I finished the first Eliza Bliss book out of sheer determination. It is not my favorite of what I have written, but I love it because of why I wrote it. 99% of the young adult books I have encountered have either been utterly inappropriate or the definition of depressing. The question I asked myself every time I opened a terrible YA book was why can't there just be a clean, happy book for my age group? Of course, not a single character has a perfect life and never has to face sadness. It is something that we must all face. But instead of reading about children who are depressed every moment of their lives, never know how to see the positive side of things, are abused, exposed to things to early, doing things they shouldn't be, and all while thinking nothing of it, I propose reading a happy book sometimes. Everyone needs a break. Everyone needs time to recover from things, to look for the positive side of the world. Literature can help to make a clearer image of how you should act when you're young. What you read in your teenage years can be a determining factor in your sibling relationships, actions, and overall happiness. The Eliza Bliss series might never win a shiny award on its covers, but that's not it's purpose. Eliza Bliss was created to give a positive role model who deals with her hardships reasonably to the middle schoolers of the world. Above all, it is there for when you need a little break from feeling that the whole world is resting upon your shoulders, and those of your generation.

-Sophia Gehring