There came a day in seventh grade when Darcie Stevens realized writing was her passion. Language arts teacher Ms. Monferdini sent an essay Darcie wrote about the first Iraq war to her daughter in New York City, and this daughter, with no ties or political backing, told her mother that Darcie's piece should be printed in The New York Times. Naturally, that wasn't the case, but it sure sounded like a good idea.

Many years later, after six years in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas in Austin and the beginnings of a career at The Austin Chronicle as both proofreader and freelance writer, Darcie has solidified her love of words and passion for sharing stories with others. She still hasn't been printed in The New York Times, but she has been to New York. Her concentration at the Chronicle is on music and sometimes film, and although that might seem trivial to some, Darcie believes that more energy and emotion can be found in the words sung by local musicians than in the hard-news copy of the Austin daily newspaper. Music, like photography, film and narrative, is what makes us human.

Now 29 years old and on the cusp of becoming a real adult - or so we're told - Darcie's ready to put her words to good use. No longer is gray newsprint the catalyst to a brighter future. With the country becoming increasingly cynical and isolationist and the mornings darker every day, it's time to actually do something to make this a better world. And so she begins the era of creative writing, something she's wanted do since those days reading Shakespeare and writing short stories in Ms. Monferdini's afternoon class. What a difference one teacher can make.

The first step is this children's book, where a world of chaos and destruction is seen through a child's eyes. Because with each day, we forget what a powerful tool the imagination is, and with a subtle reminder for adults, it might not be so bad after all. The young people in this country are the future, and that future has to change. Fingers crossed.

Contact: E-mail Darcie at darciestevens@gmail.com, or call her at 512/470-6903.