In Felida resident Shanon Mayer’s first book, “Sphere of Power,” a magical world exists alongside the real world. A select group of people can cross between the two, including pre-teen Morgan Lafayette.

The book follows Morgan’s adventures and is the first in a young-adult fantasy series. Mayer expects the second book, “Veil of Deception,” to be released in November.

“Sphere of Power” was published by the print-on-demand company BookLocker.com. It’s available through online retailers including www.booklocker.com, www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com and at local independent bookstores such as Cover to Cover Books, Interstellar Overdrive and Vintage Books.

Mayer, 33, grew up in and around Vancouver. She is a 1997 Washougal High School graduate and a 2010 Clark College graduate. She’s now a student at Washington State University Vancouver, where she’s majoring in business administration.

Writing is something Mayer has long been passionate about, and she’s excited to share her work with others.

“I’ve always loved writing,” she said.

Camas resident holds fundraising dance

Dance is Fiona Hoffman’s life, but it’s an expensive discipline.

The 20-year-old Camas resident is about to begin her junior year at The Juilliard School in New York City, but wasn’t sure whether her family could afford it.

Hoffman has scholarships and student loans, but tuition at Juilliard is nearly $34,000 per year, and the cost of living in and around Manhattan is high.

To help cover these expenses, Hoffman organized a solo dance performance at The North Star Ballroom in Portland on Aug. 11.

Through ticket sales, an auction and donations, the 2009 Camas High School graduate raised just over $3,000. A donation account ending in 2885 has been set up in Hoffman’s name through Chase, so she hopes more funds will come in.

Hoffman has been dancing since she was about 9, and studied primarily at the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre before leaving for Juilliard. She hopes to pursue dance as a career and would like to own her own dance company or theater one day.

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