|
Tracy A. Akers is a former elementary school teacher who now writes, edits, and publishes full time. She grew up in Arlington, Texas,
but currently lives in the rolling hills of Pasco County, Florida. She resides with Marv, her husband of twenty seven years, and four naughty pugs.
As a child, Ms. Akers gravitated to books about ancient worlds and mythologies, but until recently did not realize she had stories of
her own to tell. Believing herself to be a teacher, not an author, she graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Education. She taught students with language learning difficulties
until one day, as if by magic, she discovered the world of writing. Ms. Akers still considers herself to be a teacher, but now it is through her stories and characters rather than through a school
curriculum.
The author feels blessed to have found her true calling, and gives credit to the spirits that led her there. She is an active
participant in Florida Writers Association and is the founding group leader of Young Writers of East Pasco, a group for students grades 6-12. She is also a member of The Society of Children's Book
Writers and Illustrators, and PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Assoc.. In addition, Ms. Akers was on the steering committee for Celebration of the Story, an
event celebrating the story in all its
forms. The inaugural event was held December 2006 at the Saint Leo University campus, Florida.
Ms. Akers conducts frequent presentations at public and private schools, writers group meetings, teen groups, and libraries. Topics
range from integrating art and music into the creative process; developing story ideas into manuscripts; and other topics related to the writing craft. She has been a guest author and panelist at Science
Fiction/Fantasy Conventions such as DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia, and Necronomicon in Tampa, Florida, and is a Guest Presenter at the 2007 Florida Writers Association Annual Conference in Orlando.
The Fire and the Light is the first book in the Aredyrah Series, and has received recognitions in numerous awards programs. These
include a Bronze Medal for YA Literature in the 2006 Florida Book Awards; an Honorable Mention for YA in the ForeWord Magazine 2006 Book of the Year Awards; and an Honorable Mention for Middle-Grade
/Young Adult in the 15th annual Writers Digest International Self-Published Book Awards. Details about these and her other awards can be found on the Awards page of this website.
Persons wishing
to contact the author may do so through the Contact link at this website, or mail to: taakers@msn.com
|
