The importance of the Dreams Come True Anthology and Aspirations Press

Welcome, and thank you for reading this! I’m Kya Aliana and I'm here to talk about the importance of the Dreams Come True Anthology and Aspirations Press.

I have been writing since a very young age. I wrote short stories since before I can even remember, and I completed my first novel at thirteen. I self-published my first novel at fifteen-years-old. Now, at twenty-one, I am the proud author of nine novels and counting. I’m working hard, writing every day, taking workshops, striving to improve, and following my dreams.

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have an immense amount of support and encouragement from my amazing parents, family, friends, and the outstanding Watauga County Public Library in Boone, NC. It's these positive reinforcements, outlooks, and attitudes that I attribute to finding my passion and being productive at such a young age.

I remember writing my first few short stories and then not knowing where to go. Of course I wanted them "out there"... "published"... "ready to read"... but I wasn't sure where to go. Sure, I found a few off-beat magazines and submitted, but I didn't get much of a response and so came the first few rejection letters.

My parents were amazing and would take my stories to be bound at Staples - I would be so excited! I would show them off to everybody I knew... a real story with a real cover, bound and ready to be read at the next campfire.

The Watauga County Public Library started up the Thingummywut literary magazine that featured stories, artwork, and poetry from young authors and illustrators... it was even more amazing and real when my first short story was legitimately published in a local magazine.

Aspirations Press is here in hopes to be a positive outlet for young authors and their stories. I'm looking for potential, ambition, passion, and stories that kids love to write. I honestly think that the literary world needs more outlets like the Dreams Come True Anthology. I hope that others will follow a similar path and offer more outlets to our talented youth. I feel that the Dreams Come True Anthology is an important and vital contribution to the literary world.

I hope you will join me in this great project by passing along this news, helping promote, and encouraging any young writers that you know to read this anthology and submit their stories to future volumes. (Yes, this means your kids, your little brother and sister, your nieces, your nephews, your best friends, and the kids you see quietly writing up a storm in your local library).

The goal is to positively support young authors' ambitions by publishing, professionally editing, promoting their names and stories, and helping them get the recognition and encouragement they deserve. They are the future voices of their generation and I look forward to publishing them and getting their names out there as the premier authors of fiction!

Thank you all!

Information about The Dreams Come True Anthology Vol. One: Stories for the Campfire:

The Dreams Come True Anthology Volume One: Stories for the Campfire features a special introduction by Jonathan Maberry!

Gather 'round the campfire, or snuggle into bed, or maybe just curl up on the couch with a nice cup of hot cocoa, and delve into The Dreams Come True Anthology! You will embark on an unforgettable journey via the young, talented, and fresh new voices of today. It is an anthology full of stories written by children as young as 7 and up to 18-years-old. Aspirations Press is proud to publish several new authors in the world of horror, suspense, and thrillers.

Inside these pages you will find talent, aspirations, dreams, good stories, and non-stop adventures through the wild imaginations of today's youth! This is a must-read anthology for kids and adults alike.

The goal is to positively support young authors' ambitions by publishing, professionally editing, and helping them get the recognition and encouragement they deserve. They are the future voices of their generation; the premier authors of fiction!

Featuring:

The Rocks Are Evil by Abigail Day

A Goose, No A Moose by Caitlyn Chen

Linda: A Swimmers Dream by Marisha Cautilli

The Case of the Missing Key by Kelly Dormer

Land of the Past by Wiley Webb

The Creature That Lurks in Its Shadow by Maysie Mays

Bus 444 by Alyssa Chen

The Explorer by Renee Roulo

The Haunting by Dawn Dagger

Whispers by Mason Larner

Hung by Nayelle Milligan

The Freezing Point of the Heart by Alexia Villarreal

Drum Beat by Zach Ewbank

Tickles by MaryHelen Goldstein

A Ghostly Whisper by Jennifer Bustamante

The Window by Ariana Chuback

Home? by Tim Sim

The Relic by Agustina Pedraza

Mantus by Alexx Dooley

Hunger by D. Norfolk

Fates Meeting by D. Norfolk

Prostrate by D. Norfolk

My Fate by Natalie Carroll

James Collins Haunted Soul by Natalie Carroll

and

My Last Breath by Natalie Carroll