About Author: AnneMarie is the award-winning author of Drifters Realm, Mirror Tree, and Brave Falls, receiving the Literary Titan Gold Book Award, Story Monsters Seal of Approval, Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Book Award-1st Place, The Golden Wizard Book Prize, and the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards Finalist. Annemarie Mazotti Gouveia’s fourth book, HalLows Realm was released in August 2026. AnneMarie was born and raised in California. She has a vivid imagination and loves writing magical adventure stories that take place in strange lands. She grew up with a library card in her pocket and a stack of books on her desk.She is passionate about reading, art, and family; the youngest of seven children, a mother of four children, and a grandmother. She’s traveled through Europe, and has lived in Germany, Washington, and Kansas. A former high-tech executive at a multi-billion-dollar company with a Bachelor of Science Information Technology degree, she is a geek at heart who enjoys hiking, yoga, mentoring women and men through AscentPoint Leadership, formerly WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., and trips to Disneyland with her husband and family. AnneMarie lives in Northern California with her husband and two mischievous cats, Rocky and Prancer. She is a member of SBCWI and Mt. Diablo CWC.
Welcome to our interview series, Annemarie! We’re so happy to have you with us. We really enjoyed spending time with HalLows Realm. There’s something beautiful and mysterious about the book, and the cover gives that feeling even before the story begins. After following the Drifters Realm journey through four books, we’re excited to talk with you about the world you’ve created, the journey behind it, the people who have supported you, and what might come next.
1. Let’s go back to the very beginning. What do you remember most about the moment you first started writing Drifters Realm?
The moment I began writing Drifters Realm-Book 1, I felt equal measures of intense excitement and absolute terror having never written a book before, let alone published one. And that feeling pretty much stayed with me until the first book was published in May of 2023.
2. You’ve now reached the fourth book. When you look back at the first book, does that beginning feel far away now, or does it still feel close to you?
At times, that initial beginning feels far away but it was a necessary starting point and a foundational building block to where I am today as a writer. The first book is near and dear to my heart. That being said, because I’ve written and published three books since then, those three books have occupied my thoughts, but the excitement of writing that first book, Drifters Realm – Book 1, is still very much with me.
3. The series has grown quite a lot since the first book. Did the world develop the way you originally imagined, or has it surprised you along the way?
I’m not surprised by the world I’ve created. The ideas and geographical landscapes for the physical places of Drifters Realm and HalLows Realm have been floating around in my head for years. Putting it on paper― creating the maps first―then building the magical stories has fulfilled a dream I’ve had for years of a world without technology where teenagers live and learn magic outdoors.
4. Looking back at the first three books, is there one that still has a particularly special place in your heart? What makes it special for you?
Brave Falls is truly special to me. The story’s messages and themes dig deep into what it means to be part of a family, and how trust is fragile, and yet it’s possible to forgive and believe in each other again. There’s such a strong message of hope in that story, and the ending of that book resonates with me and what I believe: that hope endures, and there is nothing more important than family and friends.
5. You’ve lived with these characters for four books now. Has spending so much time with them changed the way you see them?
Yes, definitely. At first I saw them as typical tweens and teens figuring out their place in their world. Now I see them as complex young people, all with back stories, who are facing and overcoming complicated challenges; many of which are life threatening.
6. The family side of the story brings a lot of heart to all the adventure. What do you personally enjoy most about writing those relationships?
Honestly, everything! I really enjoy writing the dialogue when the siblings argue, or when they simply don’t trust each other because of their differences. I also like writing about their emotional angst, and their genuine love for each other as siblings. Being the youngest of seven children and a parent to four grown children, and a grandparent to four grandchildren, family is everything. Writing about the character’s relationships is oftentimes the most compelling part and inevitably the heart of the story.
7. The cover of HalLows Realm immediately caught our attention. It’s beautiful, but there’s also something slightly mysterious about it. What did you feel when you first saw the finished cover?
My first thought was wow! This is exactly what I imagined and more: spookiness, mysterious aura, and wonderfully colorful. I worked with a new artist on this book, Therése Pierrau, and her incredible talent shines through with the beautiful cover and internal book illustrations. The cover is such an important part of the book. It’s the first thing readers see, and I couldn’t be happier with the HalLows Realm cover.
8. There are so many little mysteries in HalLows Realm that make you want to keep reading. Do you enjoy planting small clues and letting readers discover things for themselves?
Oh, yes, absolutely! To me, this is what makes stories enjoyable, setting the stage, then revealing just enough to pique the reader’s interest. I imagine this is how mystery writers lay out a story. I want the reader to be excited and interested in what’s coming next and I am overwhelmingly pleased if that’s what I’ve accomplished.
9. After four books, what has this series taught you about yourself as a writer?
The biggest aha moment was discovering how much I love to write. For example, I take breaks between writing books, but I find myself filled with such joy when I begin writing again. It’s in my blood in some inexplicable way. As a former senior executive at a high tech company, I never imagined that writing middle-grade fantasy adventure stories could bring me such joy, and yet it has!
10. Writing four books is a long journey. Who were the people who kept encouraging you along the way, especially when writing felt difficult?
My husband has supported and encouraged me from day one. And he continues to do so. He is the first person who hears each chapter and he always tells me exactly what he thinks which has made the series even better. My entire family and my friends have been incredibly supportive; the list of people who encouraged me is quite long! I’m so grateful for their encouragement.
11. Was there a friend, fellow writer, reader, or writing community that became especially important to you during this journey?
It’s impossible to name one person or group. So many people―family, friends, and readers have encouraged me, read my rough drafts, acquired my books, and given me feedback along the way. And I’m immeasurably grateful to every one of them. It literally takes a village when you are an independent author.
12. Every creative journey has days when motivation disappears. What helps you find your way back to the story when you’re not feeling inspired?
As strange as it sounds, that hasn’t happened very often. But when it does, I meditate on what exactly I’m trying to accomplish as a writer: to share adventure stories (with maps!) about family, friendship, and struggles, all bound together with a little bit of magic. That grounds me and propels me forward and I’m able to resume writing.
13. You’ve now experienced much more than simply writing the books. What has surprised you most about being an author—the part of the journey you didn’t really expect when you started?
I’ve found that the most difficult part about being a writer is getting your books into the hands of readers. It’s incredibly complicated and a daunting task especially when your readers are tweens and teens. I had no idea how hard this part of the journey would be. The upside is when you finally do get to connect with readers through family and friends or at a book fair, it’s an exceptionally joyful experience, especially when a reader asks you when your next book will be available.
14. There are so many people who have a story inside them but are afraid to begin. What would you say to someone who wants to write but keeps waiting for the right time?
Just do it, find a comfortable place where you won’t be distracted, write with whatever pleases you, pencil, paper, iPad, etc. And here is the most important part, write without judgement. Meaning, don’t pick apart what you write, and certainly don’t keep re-writing the first sentence or the first paragraph. Just write. Let the words flow, wherever they take you. Save the editing for later. The trick is to just do it. One thing that will really help is if you feel connected to or passionate about what you are writing. Then the words flow like a waterfall.
15. And now that HalLows Realm is out, what’s next for you? Is another Drifters Realm story already taking shape, and what are you most excited about in the journey ahead?
I’m currently working on Book 5 of the Drifters Realm series. The working title (for now) is WilLows Echo. I’m super excited about the next two books where I plan to expand the characters and story from HalLows Realm into TimeLess Realm. My long-term goal is to complete twelve books in total.
Thank you so much, Annemarie, for joining us. It has been lovely to look back at the journey from Drifters Realm to HalLows Realm, and also to hear about the people and experiences that have supported you along the way. We’re wishing you and the Drifters Realm many more wonderful adventures ahead!
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