I have been writing since I was in my teens. I'd watch television shows (that were later cancelled) and wonder what happened to the characters. I'd get out a notebook and continue their stories as I saw them. Some friends showed interest in what I was writing, and with them I wrote up quick plot summaries for stories I would write later. I had one story I worked on for many years and various rewrites. But, I was never completely satisfied with it.

Late in 2001, I was twenty-two years old, and working full time to support myself and my infant son. I took a well-deserved vacation day and spent the day at the movies. I had recently completed a romantic-comedy screenplay and was looking to develop it more, and convert it into a novel. The story was "Shakespeare's Dream." One of the movies I watched was "Kate & Leopold" - with hopes it would inspire me. While it did - at the moment - I saw another movie that day that inspired me more: "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." That night, I began fleshing out one of the plot summaries a friend had given me years before. That story was the start of "The Vayde Chronicles."

For years I worked on the stories that would form the mythology of my new world. The first of them being Kara's story. When I moved further along in time and began to work on what would become Diana's story, I found myself stumbling. Here is a character and story I wanted to write to begin the reader's journey into this world, but where and when did it take place? In one version, it took place in the present day Midwest. In 2008, I decided on a different route. Using my love of history - and the lack of young adult historical novels present - Diana Vayde became a citizen of 1692 Massachusetts.

Between working full time, working on my bachelors degree full time, and taking care of my son - it took me two years to complete the first draft of "Lady of Terras" and the basic outlines for the next two books in the series. In the summer of 2010, I went on a road trip to many of the places in my books and the story was developed even further. After a series of rewrites and revisions, "Lady of Terras" was published in May 2011 and is now available for everyone to read.

As I continue to work full time and go to school full time, I am also working on completing the next two books in "The Vayde Chronicles" series. I use music, movies, places, and people to visualize the story and my world. Throughout the pages on this site you will see what has inspired me. Each book has its own set of pages with pictures of my characters as I see them, the music I play to inspire the creative process, and the places where the stories take place. I have also included more personal information about myself - my successes and progress in school, my traveling experiences, my movie geekdom, and my reading lists.

I hope you enjoy my world as much as I do.

- J.M. Dain