‘Portal fantasy’ author pays a visit

Sarah Arthur, author of the debut novel “Once a Queen,” is coming to Baker Book House on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1 pm. The Lansing author who spent some of her growing up years here in Grand Rapids, will answer questions about her young adult fantasy novel, as well as sign copies of the book that will be for sale at Baker Book House, located at 2768 East Paris Ave. SE.

“Once a Queen” is what Arthur calls “portal fantasy,” a tale in which doors open to other worlds. When American teenager Eva Joyce must spend the summer at the estate of her English grandmother, the stories she read as a child seem to be coming alive as odd things happen on the grounds. Her aloof grandmother roams the estate at night, but all Eva discovers only leads to more questions.

“I love portal fantasy, where the possibility of other worlds breaking in on this one is present,” said Arthur. “On my walk to school as a child, I loved imagining a manhole popping up.”

One focus of her Feb. 10 event is speaking to students interesting in writing. “I want to talk to young people interested in writing about practices they can do now if they want to pursue publishing,” said Arthur, who has also written several nonfiction books and is a middle school substitute teacher and children’s program volunteer at her church.

“Fiction is my first love. As a child writing longhand and drawing pictures, I was telling my own stories,” said Arthur. “The world of fiction is limitless, with no one telling you what you can’t do. In a world of imagination, you can do anything.”

For more information, visit www.bakerbookhouse.com/events and www.saraharthur.com .