Papers, exams and projects all mark the end of a semester. For most students who preparing for finals this time of year, writing a 450-page novel isn’t on their list of things to do. But junior English major Krysta Tawlks has been there, done that.

In six months, Tawlks, who is from Folsom, wrote her first self-published novel “Drag’ n Seeks” in the middle of her semester at Sacramento State.

Tawlks said she was in a bookstore looking for something to read, but nothing appealed to her. She realized what she was looking for wasn’t available, because it wasn’t written. That was when she decided to write her own story, one she would find interesting.

She began the task of writing 15 pages every week, which took about two to three hours in front of her computer daily. After finishing her English homework and working a part-time job, Tawlks said she stayed up late many nights writing, creating her characters and unfolding the plot chapter by chapter.

“Drag’n Seek” was published in September and Tawlks, 20, said she takes a lot of pride in her story and has formed an attachment to her characters. She is not only the author of “Drag’n Seeks,” but the artist behind the cover art as well.

“Writing this book was a labor of love,” Tawlks said. “It’s so cool to see it finished and to see the art. I like it a lot.”

“Drag’ n Seek” is a novel set during a post-Civil War America. It’s about two 10-year-old friends, Cavrin and Emily, and their journey to find a mysterious dragon. She said magic plays an important role in her story, as well as her faith.

Tawlks said although they’re allusive, many of the elements in “Drag’n Seek” are symbols of her Christian faith, which she said was an influential part of the story.

“As an author, I don’t believe in being sneaky about expressing certain themes in your stories, especially if those stories are for children,” she said.

Tawlks’s 12-year-old cousin, Matthew Tawlks, was one of the book’s first fans. Matthew said he can’t put it down.

“There’s adventure the whole way,” he said. “It’s not boring.”

C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen and Harper Lee are a few authors who have influenced Tawlks. Movies such as “Little Women” and “The Village” have also been a source of inspiration for her.

But dragons were the ultimate source of inspiration for “Drag’n Seek.” She said dragons have fascinated her ever since she was a young girl. She wrote her very first story about a baby dragon when she was 12 years old.

“I know it sounds embarrassing,” Tawlks said. “But I’ve always liked dragons. They’re mysterious and unpredictable.”

Writing “Drag’n Seek” was very much a family affair for Tawlks. Her father, who writes novels as well, gave her advice and helped her with the direction of her story. It was her grandmother who copy-edited her first draft.

Tawlks decided to self-publish her novel, a $700 cost, because she wanted to maintain every single detail of the story.

“Many publishing companies will pick up a book, but edit and change a lot of the author’s ideas,” she said. “They may like one idea you have, but change the rest. I didn’t want that to happen.”

Now that she has self-published her novel, she plans to market the book to major publishing companies. She hopes “Drag’n Seek,” which is only available online, will gain a reputation and will eventually be sold in major bookstores.

“I’ve sold a copy to all my family and friends and now it’s time to branch out from there,” she said.

Senior English major Regina Lung met Tawlks at the beginning of the semester. Lung said “Drag’n Seek” is very imaginative and fun.

“When I got into the book I forgot it was written by Krysta,” Lung said. “It’s written so professionally,” she said.

Tawlks has already begun writing the sequel to “Drag’n Seek.” She’s unsure about the title and the plot line, but she said she isn’t concerned. For Tawlks, the journey of writing her own novel is an adventure in itself, a walk through the world she creates.

“Drag’n Seek” is available online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

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Contact Adina Zerwig in the Features

department at (916) 278-4155.