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Anastacia (Stacey) Hawkins grew up as a California girl in the suburbs of L.A. County. Her father was a dancer, her mother a beautiful artist, but Stacey could neither dance nor draw. Instead, she found her passion in writing. In college, she majored in English and Communications. She had always dreamed of being a writer, but ended up in banking in order to pay the bills.
Many years later, now a wife and mother, Stacey came across an ad for the Institute of Children’s Literature. The ad said, “We’re looking for people to write children’s books!” She was intrigued. She signed up for their course “Writing for Children and Teenagers”.
In April, 2008, Stacey sold her first story to Shine Brightly Magazine. She was hooked! Today, she is a participating author for a Christian reading program created by Kirkwood Education Center in California, as well as the One Story a Day series published by DC Canada Education Publishing. She was chosen to write the stories for an Italian/English parallel text book, Storie Italiane, which can be purchased on Amazon, and her first middle grade novel, Larkspur, is getting rave reviews!
Stacey now resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota, with her husband, Shayne, and their daughter, Sierra.
“Being a children’s author is the most gratifying job I have ever had! As a parent, I feel that I have so much more to share than I had when I first graduated from college all those years ago. I encourage all who have a passion for writing to pursue it; don’t give up on your dream!”
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
Leslie and Taylor loved their dance teacher Madame Lumiere and built their self-confidence as she taught them. Madame Lumiere was in her eighties and was one of the oldest dance instructors, yet she was amazing. The lady was from Larkspur and had a slight Irish lilt to her voice; she even made their dresses (complete with a touch of magic). During a recital the girls heard their cue and danced on the stage when suddenly Taylor felt dizzy and began to fall; both girls landed softly on a carpet of grass. A young man named Redmond rushed to them thinking one of them was Luminara. He explained to the girls that Luminara (Madame Lumiere) was the true queen of the realm of Larkspur. A female warrior named Puranna used dark magic against Larkspur’s king and queen, luring them into the Murky Realm never to return. Puranna declared herself to be the new queen and hypnotized the villagers when they tried to rebel. She also banned dancing in the kingdom. Redmond introduced the girls to Claire, Luminara’s sister and the next in line to the throne. Can the girls save the kingdom of Larkspur? Are they truly up to the task set before them? Can they dance the dance that will bring Luminara home?
Anastacia Hawkins offers readers a mystical journey into the land of Larkspur. Her tale reads much like the fairy tales I grew up on. She has created characters that are likable and endearing. Who would not like Redmond, Taylor, Leslie and Luminara? Larkspur is simple and easy to read, with 102 pages. I would like to see Hawkins expand the plot or make this a series. Female readers from third to sixth grade will quickly be swept away by this tale. On the stage of my mind’s eye I could see the scenes as they played out. Hawkins has combined, adventure, action, and romance in this tale; what more could a reader ask for? Well done Ms. Hawkins, what else do you have in store for your fans?
