Mild-mannered teacher of high school literature and creative writing by day, Lauricia Matuska is a clandestine writer by night, fighting battles against time and responsibility to steal precious moments in which to compose the next few lines of her novel-in-progress. An avid reader of fantasy literature since the age of ten, Lauricia is especially inspired by the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Madeline L’Engle, Tad Williams, and Neil Gaiman. Her desire to write manifested in middle school, but was buried under the well-meant warnings of concerned adults, so she decided to study physics, instead. Her freshman year in college began with courses in honors English, and remedial college algebra. Two semesters of immense success in her literature classes and abysmal failure in remedial math convinced her that she was not designed to be a scientist, so she changed her major and returned to her first love. Based in the Houston area, Lauricia writes contemporary YA and adult fantasy with a classic feel. The Healer’s Rune is the first novel in her Ceryn Roh trilogy, followed by Guardian Prince (soon to be released).