The idea for THE GHOST MISSIONS MAGICAL ADVENTURE SERIES came from haunted houses created in  J. E. Ayer's basement when her children were young. To appeal to various age groups, Ayer wrote mildly scary, but often silly, storylines for each scene.

The first Haunted Basement was a big hit, so it became an annual fundraiser for a local soup kitchen. In the spirit of the Haunted Basement, 5% of the profits from The Castle Keep book will be donated to that same soup kitchen. 

Ayer has a master's degree in education and worked with kids for 30+ years as a counselor, teacher, and volunteer. When she is not writing and illustrating, you can find her climbing mountains with her family, friends, and two adorable rescue dogs.