By Jillian Risberg 

It’s the stuff teenage dreams are made of — high school heroine (Bridget) out to save the world, cute new guy, summer love and a bygone family secret; it all unravels in Denville’s own Leslie and Janice Sommers new young adult novel, “Brighde (pronounced Breed) Reborn” The Amulet Series.

“About a girl who discovers she is a descendent of Scottish weather goddesses and it’s a race to find the weather controlling amulet before the other side of the family can get their hands on it,” says Janice.

According to Leslie, her father is the true inspiration behind this story.

One summer night the author was washing dishes and her dad was reading something in the newspaper — when he suddenly became irate and stood up. 

As his mood darkened, she saw the sun shrouded by a black cloud and it looked like it was going to pour. 

“In a minute, my dad calmed down as the cloud disappeared. It felt like he was controlling the weather based on his moods. Inspiration struck and I started writing the book that night,” Leslie says. 

The first-time authors spent up to six hours a day writing during the concept phase, and it took them a year and a half to finish the original draft of the book.

“When I pulled Mom into working with me on it, we had a rhythm down where we would discuss the scene, I’d write it, and then she would review it,” says Leslie. “If there was something that needed to be changed or added, we’d discuss it.”

They definitely felt anticipation of ‘will it be published, will people like it and will it be well-received,’ according to Janice.

“I mainly felt a pressure to meet my own deadlines and then the deadlines of the editors and publishers to return the corrections,” Leslie says. “Once the book was sent off after final approvals, I could finally feel the excitement of completing our first novel.”

It was released on November 30, 2020.

And they are just getting started. Leslie says expect two more books within this series.

“After that, who knows,” she says. “We have a ton more novels we want to share.” 

The mother-daughter authors have always been wordsmiths, Janice has been writing since she was in middle school.

“I caught the bug when I was about six-years-old,” says Leslie. “I had to write my spelling words in a sentence, but I was bored with the homework. Mom suggested I write the words into a story, and I never looked back.”

She must have been around 11-years-old when she learned that words shape people.

“Rumors were spread around school and I watched how people could turn on their friends based on a lie,” Leslie says. “We know that language has power but when you witness it, it really sticks with you.”

The author has a BA in English with a concentration in creative fiction writing from Montclair State University and Janice holds a BS in education from Seton Hall University. She passed her passion for books on to the next generation of her family.

So when they sit down for a good read, “Angel Light” by Andrew Greeley is a fav for Janice. And Leslie likes Kate Forsyth’s “The Witches of Eileanan” Series.

Releasing their own 233 page novel means the world to the authors. 

“We were working on this for at least two years and trying to get it picked up by a publisher for longer than that,” Leslie says. “To finally have it shared with the public, it’s a dream come true — literally.”

They have high hopes that people will connect with the book.
 

“I hope people feel they were a part of Bridget’s world, a feeling of happiness, and anticipation for the next book,” says Janice.

Leslie agreed. “I hope they find Bridget relatable and can picture themselves as one of the characters.”

To purchase the book, visit Amazon or Barnes and Noble.