Jul 22

Jul 22 B. Roman

Author B. Roman

Biography

B. Roman is the author of The Moon Singer, a YA fantasy series that comprises four books and a prequel; plus two suspense novels: “Whatever Became of Sin?” and “A Man’s Face.” As Barbara Roman she has penned four children’s books: Hubert in Heaven, Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13, and The Prince Who Was A Piccolo, and Horace Won't Sing.

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“You are born to what you will be in life,” said a noted ballet dancer as I interviewed him for a newspaper article. For him, it was dance. For me it was singing. I knew my future had been ordained at age 3, as I romped down the movie theatre aisle singing along with Shirley Temple. I consumed movie musicals and every Disney animated film, learning all the songs therein. As time went on, singing professionally now, song lyrics were my thing. The story in the song, every note and nuance, the meaning of each word.

But I also loved to read and devoured every magical children’s book. In time, I fell in love with the Great American Plays and read them all. I loved how the stories moved on the page/stage with little narrative; all character, dialog and emotion. Gradually, I added writing to my resume. While working as a journalist for newspapers and magazines, articles on music, dance, theatre, and film were my specialty. I began exploring the power of music to improve our lives and our health. The subject matter manifested my first book titled, “Music Power,” which was picked up by a New York publisher. I was born to write about this subject. It was Informational, Motivational, Transformational.

For me, one creative art nourishes another - music and writing are complements. Just as I sing at concerts the magnificent lyrics written by masters of poetic language - Gershwin, Porter, Hart, Mercer - I write my stories with music in my head. So, it is no accident or plot device that The Moon Singer series is all about this powerful art form, how music has the power to heal, to transform, to create life - or destroy it. Although my main character David Nickerson is deaf, he hears his inner music. The musical codes in the crystals, the Universal Truths they contain, give him his traits of courage and selfless resolve to save a life that means more to him than his own and to create miracles for everyone he loves.

Both art forms - writing and music - compel me to be disciplined, focused, committed to a cause, and respectful of my audiences. But it is the art, the desire of creating something more magnificent than mundane that my characters all share and move the stories vigorously along.

Being a Next Chapter author is a serendipitous opportunity. One day, writing is all that I will do. But a song will always be in the air. The rest is up to my Muses.