The Harry Potter series inspires my writing – but not as in, “I’m going to write a series just like JK Rowling’s.” Rather, Harry Potter demonstrated to an entire generation and more such things as loyalty, integrity, courage, and mercy at a time when we, their parents, had the best of intentions of instilling those values in our children but our (over) commitment to ensuring their material well-being left little time for doing it well.

JK Rowling probably doesn’t deserve all the credit, but I see the effect of the lessons of Harry Potter in our new adults – a group that is courageous and compassionate; diligent and responsible but not willing to sacrifice time with their loved ones for money or prestige.

My first set of novels, The Rothston series, also conveys a set of positive values. College students Kinzie and Greg face difficult decisions when those values clash and, like Harry Potter, it is the decisions they make in those instants give rise to who they truly are and what they believe. The panoply of values won’t be entirely revealed until the series ends – two books from now – and I don’t expect to reach an entire generation as JK Rowling did. But I am grateful for the example she set through “the boy who lived.” If I positively affect just one person, then I will consider my novels a tremendous success.