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Andruss Library librarian and award-winning author, Kathryn Yelinek, nursed a dream for over twenty years. During that time, she published short stories, poems, scholarly articles, and nonfiction books but never a novel. Until now.

Yelinek’s debut novel, “Magic is the Mask,” a fantasy retelling of the classic French novel “The Phantom of the Opera,” was released October 13.

“I’ve loved the Phantom’s story since I was a teenager,” Yelinek said. “I started writing my novel just before I moved to Bloomsburg in 2005, but life happened, and I put the manuscript aside. I told myself publishing other things was enough. But I couldn’t give up my dream of being a published novelist.”

Her dream was rekindled this past winter. A writer friend encouraged her to pursue publication due to interest surrounding the 40th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” This encouragement gave Yelinek the push she needed.

“It felt like the right moment,” she said.  “The Phantom’s story is so rich, and so many people love it. There have been many different retellings, but none with a fantasy twist like mine.”

There are already indications the book has an audience, as Yelinek discovered when she brought copies to the Bloomsburg Fair’s Local Authors Table. “I brought 20, thinking that would be more than enough,” Yelinek reports. “They sold out in six days.”

“Magic is the Mask” takes place in a magical, reimagined 1880s Paris. Young opera singer Christine Daaé is a witch, desperate to regain her lost power. She meets Erik, a dark fey, who is determined to regain his lost humanity. They make a bargain, but the price of magic may be far more than either of them is willing to pay.

“The story is musical and magical and definitely gothic. It’s about what makes us human,” Yelinek said. “I’m thrilled to share a retelling of a story that I adore in a genre that I love.”

Yelinek, who has served as a librarian at CU—Bloomsburg since 2005, is also a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America and sits on the board of Pennwriters. She worked with Year of the Book Press, an independent publisher in Glen Rock, PA, to publish “Magic is the Mask.” The book (ebook and paperback) is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores. Print copies are available on campus at the Bloomsburg University Store.

To learn more about Yelinek and “Magic is the Mask,” visit .