This article originally appeared in The Sand Mountain Reporter. 

Albertville Middle School STEM teacher, Erika Amos, has written a children’s book “Maxine.”

Maxine is a princess who is trapped in a tower, waiting for someone to save her. The readers aren’t sure of what Maxine looks like until the end where we find out she’s a pretty pink dragon.

Princess Maxine learns to believe in herself and realizes that she can save herself and fly away. She teaches children to believe in themselves and realize their own potential.

Amos originally came up with the idea when she was still teaching 3rd grade a few years ago. She submitted her idea in a small writing contest during graduate school and started the publishing process in May of this year.

“I was inspired to write it because there were times in my childhood where I felt trapped but realized that if I followed my heart and chased my dreams, I could turn my life into anything I wanted to,” said Amos.

After a lot of corrections and resubmitting, “Maxine” is finally available for purchasing on Amazon for $9.99. “Maxine” will also be coming to big name bookstores at the first of 2024.

While teaching STEM, Amos also helps to coach softball. When she’s not at the school teaching or coaching, Amos is at home with her husband, Griff, and their house full of children having their own adventures.