Book Description

Mariah Baxter only has to make it through two more years in Fountain Park and then she can get away—away from her small town, from the kids at school who hate her, but most of all from her dad who just happens to be a grand dragon in the Ku Klux Klan. For more than ten years, Mariah’s worn the robe and hood. She’s gone to the rallies, carried the torches. For more than ten years, she’s toed the line. She’s been the good Klan daughter her father expected her to be—there were no other options. At least, that’s what she’d grown up believing. But Mariah’s junior year changes everything. Her life suddenly becomes more dangerous—and yet better—all at once. Taking a leap that will test the strength of the chains that have bound her all her life, Mariah might break free, but that freedom may cost her more than she could have ever imagined.

Fans Are Saying This

Very addictive. I literally only put this book down to eat. ~Felicia Gradowski

This book sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat …! I’ve never had a book make my heart pump as much as this one! ~Amy Overmyer

Within the first few pages of this book I was HOOKED! This is a GREAT read and I highly recommend it! ~Carrie Fenn

Great characters, believable story, powerful images. Once I started reading I was hooked. ~Theresa Hammond

I read half of the book the first night and finished it the next day! Exciting and full of suspense. ~Carol Close

Purchased this for my kindle last night! I had it read by this morning! ~Joyce Schmidt

From the minute I picked it up it had me. I put it down to do only what had to be done. ~Barbara Barefoot

I was raised with some of the Klan views in the book. And I got the book not knowing what it was about. It really touched my heart. I never thought of how the kids in the Klan felt. Thank you for showing me somethings I need to change in my life. ~Larry Enochs

Mariah’s Origin Story

People have asked me if The Dragon’s Daughter is in any way autobiographical. Absolutely not. It’s not even biographical. It’s the result of my imagination and my willingness to say “yes.”

Many, many years ago I was a newspaper reporter and editor. During that time, I had a couple run-ins with a couple members of the KKK, one of whom, a local grand dragon, invited me to his home so that we could talk about his beliefs. I said sure, I’ll come. (No, I wasn’t scared. Nervous, yes, but not scared.)

I sat in his home, at his kitchen table, for a couple hours while he told me about the Klan’s beliefs, while his toddler ran around the house, and while his wife (who was pregnant) made dinner. All I could think about as he talked was, “How do you raise kids in this environment? WHY do you raise kids in this environment?”

And that is Mariah’s origin story. The Dragon’s Daughter is in no way an attempt to tell any kind of true story. My book is simply me asking, if this was your life and you didn’t like it, what would you do?