{"id":10458,"date":"2019-02-01T17:39:27","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T17:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=10458"},"modified":"2019-02-01T17:39:27","modified_gmt":"2019-02-01T17:39:27","slug":"young-adult-novel-is-set-in-sun-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/01\/young-adult-novel-is-set-in-sun-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Young Adult Novel Is Set In Sun Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Aimee Durand<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201c18th Winter\u201d book cover. Photo courtesy of Stella J. Raasch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some people are born with a novel idea, some get there after a lot of living.<\/p>\n

Pocatello native Stella J. Raasch, who is celebrating the publication of her first young-adult fantasy novel based in Sun Valley, called \u201c18th Winter,\u201d is the latter.<\/p>\n

Raasch has had a versatile career that includes eight years in the Air Force Security Forces, a degree in psychology, work in social services, as a freelance writer for a pet magazine with a technical degree in canine nutrition, and owner of a retail store for dogs.<\/p>\n

A weak economy forced the closing of her business and sent her back to school, this time for nursing. While in between graduation from Bellin College, in Bellevue, Wisc., and securing her first nursing position, the idea of the legend of the Cyokiana struck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just sitting at the computer one day and threw a bunch of ideas down,\u201d Raasch said, \u201ccentered around a young girl and two dogs that possessed a unique and intricate bond.\u201d The characters resembled her own life with her dogs, Raasch said.<\/p>\n

The choice to depict Sun Valley as the setting stemmed from Raasch\u2019s childhood recollections of outdoor activities here. She spent many hours in Stanley and at Redfish Lake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted a town in the mountains that was an active town,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was a spot I have fond memories of as a child growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The novel leads the reader on an emotional journey with main character Collette who, like Raasch, loves skiing and snowshoeing and canine companionship, but whose simple pursuits are complicated by self-reflection, legend, magic and vengeance.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollette relates to me in so many ways it almost hurts,\u201d Raasch said.<\/p>\n

From story conception to publishing, Raasch dedicated five-and-a-half years to writing her novel. She took breaks from time to time, the longest being nine months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a struggle,\u201d she admitted. \u201cThere were so many times when I wanted to give up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her final inspirational push came in the form of a movie that gave her the boost she needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watched a movie called \u2018Before Disney,\u2019 and how Walt Disney started out,\u201d Raasch said. \u201cHe just kept falling, and falling and falling,\u201d she said. \u201cBut he didn\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Stella J. Raasch pictured with her girls, Aspen and Goldie. Photo courtesy of Stella J. Raasch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Raasch\u2019s advice to anyone struggling with writing is to take breaks, but stay focused, seek out a professional opinion and lean into something that perpetually motivates you.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always about dedicating the time,\u201d she said. \u201cIf it is that important to you, don\u2019t give up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Raasch has also worked as a gastroenterology nurse, a CVAD nurse, and currently performs the pharmacology review for a healthcare organization in Aurora, Colo.<\/p>\n

Her ambitions for the sale of the book include a second book, as well as starting a college scholarship fund to aid single parents and adults seeking career changes. <\/span><\/p>\n

For more information about Raasch and the novel \u201c18th Winter,\u201d visit www.stellajraasch.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Aimee Durand Some people are born with a novel idea, some get there after a lot of living. Pocatello native Stella J. Raasch, who is celebrating the publication of her first young-adult fantasy novel based in Sun Valley, called \u201c18th Winter,\u201d is the latter. Raasch has had a versatile career that includes eight years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10458","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-art","8":"category-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}