Thompson woman authors delicious fantasy

By VITO J. LEO The Reminder

THOMPSON — For those people who enjoy snacking on some candy while curled up with a good book, “The Chocolate Queen” might be able to satisfy both cravings.

This recently published fantasy was written by a Thompson woman whose pen name is Lee Brooks.

Completing this literary achievement “was like giving birth,” said Brooks who insists on masking her identity behind her nom de plume.

“I prefer to remain anonymous. I just think if someone knows that I am the author, it might detract from the story line. Readers would be thinking of me, the author, rather than the author’s words,” Brooks said during a recent visit to the Reminder office in Danielson.

She moved to Thompson in the mid-1990s and has lived there since then with her husband and her two cats.

Brooks said she got the idea for the story quite by accident one day while she was watching a dear friend of hers munching on a chocolate bar, the friend devouring the tasty delicacy much as a ravenous vampire might feast on a throbbing jugular.

“I was watching my girlfriend eat a piece of chocolate one day, and the way she was eating, it just made me laugh,” Brooks said, recalling her inspirational moment.

The budding author immediately turned that magical moment into a short story, writing in her study until four in the morning.

“I loved it. I had a good time with it, just creating something,” said Brooks, noting that “the lead character, Queen Abigail, just sort of grew,” as she continued to type.

By the way, naming the lead character Queen Abigail was not random, but rather an homage to her friend Gail, a chocolate lover extraordinaire.

Always a prolific poetry writer but never published, Brooks now found her creativity funneled into turning that original short story into a novel, and after more than a year of long nights in her study, “The Chocolate Queen” came to life.

But the American landscape of budding literati is littered with literally thousands of unpublished manuscripts.

“The large companies don’t want anything to do with you,” Brooks said. “They are nice enough at it, but they still give you the brush off.”

Undaunted, Brooks was determined to publish her book, described in a press release as “a fantasy novel [which] takes readers to a world filled with betrayal, strife, the power of friendship, love, courage and destiny.
In the book the Land of Reverent is governed by a dutiful Ambassador with strict rules and regulations. In this land, chocolate is considered taboo and has been outlawed for 150 years.

Hidden deep inside a dense forest, a city called Carmel is ruled by a loving Queen. In this land, chocolate is honored by all and celebrated as a sacred tradition.”

Eventually, the aspiring author came across “Publish America” on the Internet, a small firm headquartered in Maryland.

“It’s not a vanity press, even though some people call them that,” said Brooks, who was not required to pay a publishing fee and, in fact, will receive royalties on sales of her book.

“My hope is to sell a million of them. I’m thinking big,” she quipped.
To that end, Brooks is scheduled to attend a book signing on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 2-4 p.m. at Wonderland Books, 120 Main Street in Putnam, a mixed blessing, according to the writer, who admits she is somewhat shy and finds it difficult to be in the spotlight, another reason to hide behind the nom de plume.

“I have a hard time with people making a fuss over me,” said Brooks, who hates birthdays for a reason much different than the one professed by most middle-aged people. “At my birthday party, I dislike being the focus of attention.”

But, of course, she has to be, for who else would blow out the candles?
“I appreciate what people do for me, getting gifts and all, but it’s a difficult thing to have to go through,” she said, echoing the thoughts of many famous actors who are boastful while in character, but shun being seen as themselves.

On stage, one portrays a character or is enveloped by the other members of the choir.
At a book signing, the author is the cynosure of attention.
“I want to maintain my privacy,” said Brooks, admitting she has “a hermit-type personality” and is likely “going to have a hard time at the book signing.”

But having created a wonderful land of chocolate lovers, Brooks is anxious to get her cleverly-crafted creation into the hands of book lovers and chocolate lovers everywhere.