Briarcliff HS Student, Father Sign Three-Book Deal

From the Briarcliff schools

Briarcliff High School junior Erynn Altabef and her father, Jeff, were looking for a way to spend more time together.

Jeff Altabef, who has written books in the past, decided to introduce his daughter to the publishing process by penning a story together. The two started to think about a plotline, said Erynn, that centers on a half-Native American girl named Juliet Wildfire Stone.

“I like English and I love to write,” said Erynn, who noted that her family was in Arizona when the inspiration for the book, “Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel,” came about.

“There are a series of murders in [Stone’s] town and she is caught in the middle,” she explained. “She starts to develop powers, and at the same time, is struggling to fit in.”

Stone, 16, is torn between pursuing her private school education and embracing her Native American heritage by using her powers to investigate the murders. Erynn said the novel is geared toward young adults between grades six and 11 who enjoy mysteries and science.

“It’s different than standard young adult books,” she said. “It’s really interesting.”

“Wind Catcher” has received a number of advance positive reviews, and the father-daughter pair is already working on the sequel in what will eventually be a trilogy.

“Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel” will be released for publication on March 23. It will be available for purchase, in paperback and Kindle formats, on Amazon.com.

Photo Caption: Briarcliff High School junior Erynn Altabef co-wrote the new novel “Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel,” with her father Jeff Altabef.

Photo Courtesy of the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District