I have been an avid reader for most of my life. Books were something I could immerse myself in and become a part of a new world. I loved the stories and how the characters made it through their struggles. There isn’t much like the feeling of finishing a really good book.

One of my all-time favorite series is The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. It is the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments and one of the many installments in the Shadowhunter Chronicles. It takes place in Victorian London. It follows Tessa Gray, a teenage human girl as she travels to London to reunite with her brother. Along the way she is kidnapped by two evil women who are after Tessa. After being tortured, she discovers she has the ability to shapeshift. She is eventually saved by William Herondale and Jem Carstairs who inform her of the Shadow World, where all of the creatures of legend are very much real. Tessa’s journey is one of self-discovery, love, and sacrifice.

This series holds a very special place in my heart as it awoke my passion for writing—not only reading. The way that Cassandra Clare constructed the story was absolutely fascinating to me, and I wanted to create something that extraordinary someday. The relationship between Tessa, Will, and Jem is so well crafted and breaks my heart every time I think about it. But that is what good writing is made of. When a writer can create characters than remain with the reader years after the completion of the series, that’s when you know there is real talent in the writing. Cassandra Clare’s writing and storytelling abilities gave me the fire I needed to realize that I could do it too, because all it really takes to create a lasting story is an idea and a whole lot of passion.