Not Yet!

Author Parker Peevyhouse has a response ready when other avid readers ask her if she’s read specific books. “Not yet,” she answers. But, if the book sounds strange enough, you can count her in! Parker (who has already published three young adult novels, created web courses to teach writing, and participated in multiple author events) still has many things she hopes to get to — someday. Just, not yet. Maybe even one day, a scented card game!

It’s true that Parker’s love of escape rooms and puzzles is a big inspiration for the plots in her science fiction novels. However, it’s her part-time job tutoring high schoolers in English that gives her first hand insight into the way teens quickly move back and forth between “kid and adult” quickly — which shows up on the page in her character’s choices.

Parker shares her experiences dealing with agents and editors, and says to persevere in publishing, “You have to be a little bit narcissistic.” Having her books published and on the shelves in bookstores hasn’t been exactly what Parker expected. But even through the challenges, she’s learned to turn a difficult situation around for good. She shares a story about appearing at a bookstore for a signing as a new author where a popular Young Adult author was at a nearby table. The staggeringly long line stretching in front of her table for the other author felt like a big letdown at first. Until Parker realized she had a captive audience to talk to about her book — and soon she was making sales. We can’t wait to see what future works Parker has in store for all of us.