A Q&A With F.P. LaRue, Author of "The Curse of Shadow Park"

MarketingNewAuthors.com (MANA) welcomes F. P. LaRue to the MANA Family of Authors. LaRue has also authored adult non-fiction books, Stalking: Surviving the Hidden Terror, and co-authored Discover You Inner Strength.

When not writing, LaRue loves to travel, having visited all 50 U.S. states and 53 countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, LaRue took to writing again. She loves scary stories and hopes her stories encourage children to discover the wondrous adventures reading can bring...no matter what age.

The Curse of Shadow Park is LaRue's latest book, a fictional story for young readers that follow the escapades of Oliver and his two best friends who try to solve the mystery of a hiker that went missing in Shadow Park. 

As they search for the missing hiker, they find more than they ever expected in the Forbidden Zone of the park!

MANA: What inspired you to write your book?
F. P. LaRue (FPL): I've always been an avid reader. I find reading fun. I enjoy adventure, scary stories, and horror stories. I thought it would be fun to create and tell my own scary story.

MANA: Is this your first book? If not, what other books have you published?
FPL: This is not my first book. I wrote a non-fiction book, Stalking: Surviving the Hidden Terror, and co-authored another non-fiction book, Discover Your Inner Strength, both for the adult market.

MANA: At what point in your life did you realize that you wanted to write?
FPL: I've always wanted to write, even as a child. When I was a child and read scary books, I always wanted to be able to write them myself. It just took a while for me to actually sit down and do it.

MANA: When and where do you write?
FPL: When: I like to write whenever I get a chance; when I'm feeling inspired. Where: I like to write in my home office I have set up to be open, and relaxing, with few distractions.

MANA: For what age group is this book for?
FPL: This book was written for children from ages 7-8 to young teens, but I have had older people, even adults, tell me it is a fun read.

MANA: Why did you decide to write for this age group?

FPL: I wrote the book just for the fun of it. But I also wanted to encourage children to read, to show them that reading can be fun.

MANA: Without giving, anything away, please briefly describe the book's plot?
FPL: Oliver and his friends solve a mystery about a missing hiker, one that the local police couldn't solve. In the process, they also solve the mystery of the Curse of Shadow Park and encounter many strange and terrifying creatures and people along the way.

MANA: What part of the book did you enjoy writing the most?
FPL: I really enjoyed writing the entire book. Each chapter seemed to grow into the next chapter, the next adventure.

MANA: Are you working on another project? If so, can you tell us what it is?
FPL: Yes, I am working on another adventure for Oliver and his friends. I am hoping it will be out in early 2022.

To preview The Curse of Shadow Park, go to the book's page on MANA's website.