A 2010 Bettsville High School graduate has published a book she wrote when she was a student.
Bridget Roemelen, 19, authored "Azulagua: My Mystic Land," a fiction romance
book. She said getting the first copy in her hands was a huge step for her.
Article Photos
Roemelen
"It was exciting. I was so thrilled," she said. "My grandmother was so proud of me."
Roemelen said the book is about a girl and a group of friends escaping a tyrant and their attempt to try to prevent another mass war with an evil king.
They arrive at a wondrous place where everything is fresh and new, however, turmoil occurs when a character discovers an egg, she said.
Fact Box
"Azulagua: My Mystic Land" is for sale at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.xlibris.com.
Roemelen said the idea for the book came from events that actually happened, fictional events, dreams and things her family and friends have said.
She estimated she wrote it about five years ago, and it took her several months to write.
"(I wrote it) anytime I had down time (in class)," she said.
Mary Zambrano, K-12 Spanish teacher and library aide for Bettsville Local School District, recalled her former student always carried around a spiral notebook. Sometimes, she would be standing in the hallway when an idea would come to her, she said.
"She wrote her ideas down," she said.
Roemelen said she had been looking for a decent publisher in the years since she wrote the book. She searched online for companies and was provided with three suggestions.
She said she selected a publisher in Indiana.
"It is a paperback book," she said.
Roemelen said the book was published in March and is the first in a three-part series.
She said she is going to write a fourth book that is a combination of the first three but is through the view of a different character.
She visited Bettsville High School Friday to speak about her experiences as an author. She said she autographed 10 copies of the book, with two copies going to the library and eight being offered for sale at the school.
She also read the first chapter aloud to students. They were thrilled, she said.
"Apparently, (the program) went very well. .. On that day, I answered questions from the students," she said.
Zambrano recalled Roemelen being an incredible artist who would draw characters from her story plots. She said she loved Roemelen's quiet confidence.
"She loved to read and write," she said.
