Dear Reader,

Let me dive right into the who, the how, and the why. First off, C.G. Frederick is my pen name for fiction. Second, writing hasn't been a lifelong passion of mine. Yup, I admit it. Freely.

For me, writing was a sudden encounter which unexpectedly turned into an enduring love affair. A scribbled note here, a short story there, and then voila: an idea for a novel. Then another one. Countless beginnings, but very few endings. Yet one fine day, out of a string of coincidences and epiphanies the young-adult novel In Flames was born, all the while teaching me that coincidences don't exist and that endings are the most powerful beginnings if we dare to step forward. And so Ilma's story is just starting.

Now we are meeting here. A coincidence? Something led you to this virtual place, and I'm glad that you made it. Over the last years, I have learned that all of life's interactions are gifts, even if they might not seem that way at first. Our world is full of wonders, and we have the power to create even more. It's that power that my words want to share with you and awaken inside of you.

Here's what I suggest: let's use our brightest dreams, not our darkest fears, as the crayons that color our life. Vividly and abundantly, full of circles, crooked lines, dots, and crossings. How about it?

Cheers,

Christine