Seer and the Sword

Victoria Hanley is an American children's fantasy novelist. She has written three companion books. She also visits schools and gives writing workshops. Victoria Hanley grew up without television, so trips to the library were her main source of entertainment as a child. Although her father was a rocket scientist and her mother was a registered nurse, Victoria gravitated toward the shelves of adventure and fantasy. She read series, such as The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. And she frequently immersed herself in folklore - all of those timeless tales that speak to universal truths.After leaving home she worked a variety of jobs, including waitress, cook, baker, and bookkeeper. Such employment provided a forum for observing personality traits and human interactions - fertile food for her fiction writer's palate. Her formal education earned her certificates in Montessori teaching and massage therapy. She taught anatomy and massage techniques in private occupational schools for years before realizing her dream of becoming a published author. Her work now appears in ten languages and thirty countries.As a writer, Victoria's goal is to inspire young adults in their personal journeys, offering a sense of courage as they face challenges common to all cultures. She frequently shares her knowledge and expertise through presentations at conferences and school visits. Victoria's ability to create memorable characters and enchanting settings is evident in all of her fantasy books, beginning with The Seer and the Sword. All authors have their own process of writing. Victoria has shared what works for her. She writes her first drafts by hand, sitting wherever she lands. She doesn't show these to anyone and admits that she allows herself to write badly or take nonsensical tangents to keep writer's block from stemming the flow of getting words on paper. Although she doesn't keep records of numbers of rewrites, Victoria estimates that she goes through eight to ten revisions before she decides her story is ready for others to read. "The main thing is to keep going. You can't write a book without writing it," she says.Victoria's books have received a number of awards and honors in the U.S. and abroad, including the Colorado Book Award, the International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices list, and the Kallbacher Klapperschlange, an award chosen by young people in Germany. Her work has also been placed on state award lists in Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Colorado.Victoria Hanley is continuing to make significant contributions to the field of young adult literature as she nurtures others of all ages in their writing and publishing endeavors.Hanley, Victoria is the author of 'Seer and the Sword' with ISBN 9780823415328 and ISBN 0823415325.