Twenty years ago, I never imagined I’d be publishing a book.
But I’ve always had an all-consuming love for fantasy…and happily ever afters.
After having kids and finding my way back to reading—after enduring everything life decided to throw at me—I realized something was missing from the stories I loved. At the time, fantasy (and the spice that came with it) was flooded with women and girls the size of my right thigh. And I couldn’t relate to the FMCs. Not really. I could fall deep for the men, easily. The side characters? They were giving main character energy and instantly became my ride-or-dies.
But the FMC and I… we just never connected.
There was this itch I couldn’t ignore—a need that wasn’t being met. And when my best friend said, “…sounds like you already have a story,” something shifted. I looked at myself—really looked—locked eyes with every doubt and said, “fuck that… you can do hard things too.”
So I did.
With endless research, quiet moments spent getting to know each character, and pages of notes that may never see the light of day, I sat down and let the words come.
Neon Bricks is a love letter to every reader who has stood in front of a mirror and felt every roll, traced every crevice, and flinched. For those who have searched for themselves in stories and came up empty. For those who have been told they are too much—or somehow not enough.
Welcome home.
El has called the Treasure Valley home since 2013, and after more than a decade of falling in love with everything from the Boise River to the surrounding mountain peaks, she knows her roots are meant to stay here.
She lives a quiet, beautifully full life with her husband of 16 years, their two incredible children—who remind her daily what pure happiness looks like when it’s reflected back at you—their 11-year-old chiweenie, Sadie, and their 7-year-old cat, Tonks.
She thrives on rainy days under a sunroof, believes 72 degrees should be the standard, and considers pumpkin an essential food group.
She’s drawn to emotionally complex characters—the kind that break you apart before carefully putting you back together again. And if she could only watch one thing for the rest of her life, it would be the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings, no hesitation—curled up with a Legolas pillow, a Gimli blanket, a bucket of movie theater popcorn, and an IV of Diet Dr Pepper.
