Your Next Favorite Author—Molly M. Hammond!

The alignment waits for no one.

Luma was six years old when she was found wandering alone with no memory of a family or how she got the strange scars that crisscross her palms. Now, twelve years later, Luma is summoned across a magical bridge to another world: a world where the decimated population of elves suffer under the ruthless wizard army. 

Luma’s appearance is a ray of hope for the elves, who believe she is their prophesied “Daughter of Starlight”, the only one whose powerful magic can heal their broken defenses. Luma just wants to get back home, but the wizards discover her, and soon Luma is in the fight of her life. As she flees a mighty adversary, Luma struggles with hints of a strange power from deep within, a power that she can neither control nor deny any longer. 

             Desperate for answers, Luma joins a group of elf resistance fighters on a perilous journey in search of the exiled elf mage. Along the way, Luma begins to realize there could be more truth to this prophecy than she first thought, and that just maybe, she has a family after all.  

Molly M. Hammond is an award-winning author whose love of language and storytelling has shaped her life and career. She holds degrees in English and Communication, as well as American Sign Language Interpreting. Molly’s storytelling is informed by her deep empathy, sharp observation, and a vivid imagination that often strikes while she’s out on her daily 5 mile runs, a routine that both inspires her creativity and frustrates her with ideas that never quite leap directly onto the page. When she’s not writing or interpreting, Molly can be found adventuring with her dog, Bungee, and her two cats, Rose and Clover, or enjoying life in the scenic St. Croix River Valley of Minnesota with her husband and two sons. 

Daughter of Starlight is her debut novel and the first in a planned series.

Avis: Hi Readers! Welcome to Your Next Favorite Author! Today’s guest, Molly M. Hammond, and she joins us today with her debut novel The Daughter of Starlight, a high fantasy adventure. This recent release, as of July 9, 2025 is set in two worlds. Briefly on Earth as we know it, and mostly in Edira, a fantasy world where elves and wizards collide, and where only Luma can stop the war.

            Now that I’ve whet your appetites, lets find out more about Molly! Our first question today is:

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Molly: This isn’t really a “secret” per se, but when I choose names for main characters in my fantasy stories, I tend to select names that have real-life significance related to the story. For instance, Luma’s parents, although they play a small part in this book, have names that reflect the story’s theme. Seren (Luma’s mother) is a Welsh name meaning “star,” while Tarak (Luma’s father) is a Sanskrit name meaning “star” and “protector.” And of course, Luma’s name is a nod to “light” or “illumination.” It’s not something my readers probably know, nor does it significantly contribute to the overall plot. It’s just something that makes me smile as a writer. 

Avis: Clever! I like that a lot! Names are so important, and having this type of meaning behind them is very cool! Having special meanings like this makes writing so much fun!

Let’s get to question number two:

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Molly: Cat videos on the internet! I do love a good cat video when I’m supposed to be writing. 

I also do a fair amount of editing as I go during the drafting process. I know everyone says you’re not supposed to do that with a first draft, and it does slow the process down somewhat, but I can’t help it!

Avis: It’s hard not to edit while you draft! I do a bit of editing too, but I love the drafting and creating part too much to let editing slow me down. 😊 I do love a good cat video though! I’m with you on that one too! 

Moving on to question number three:

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

Molly: The first novel I wrote was a standalone historical fiction novel that remains unpublished for now, and I never really thought of myself as writing a series until I got into the fantasy genre. However, I am currently writing the sequel to Daughter of Starlight, and I’m having so much fun with it! It turns out Luma and her crew still have plenty to say! I plan to finish it and have it ready for submission by the end of this year, and I’m really excited about the possibility of bringing a new Starlight adventure to my readers! 

Avis: More Luma? Yay! Thank you, Molly, so much for joining us! It’s been wonderful getting to know a bit about you and your writing life, and I’m so happy to hear you are working on a sequel to your fabulous debut The Daughter of Starlight. I know your books will be well received by young and old alike! 

Please read on for Molly’s socials and a review of her book! 😊

• Facebook: @molly.hammond.75 
• Instagram: @mollymh131 
• TikTok: @bungeeandfriends
• Molly’s website: https://mollyhammondauthor.com/

Review by Avis M. Adams

Daughter of Starlight, a high fantasy by Molly M. Hammond, brings to life, Luma, a young woman living between two worlds. The problem for Luma is she doesn’t know why she doesn’t fit in the only world she’s ever known. She’s tired of being different.

Hammond opens with Luma, and eighteen-year-old foster kid trying to survive in her ordinary world where she doesn’t fit in and is not accepted her for who she is. That all changes on a hike in the Colorado Rockies when she is lured into a cavern where the earth quakes, and she finds herself falling.

She wakes in a room with the three people more like herself than anyone she’s ever met. Thus begins her indoctrination into the world of Edira, and Luma begins the journey she was born to take. 

Hammond’s world building takes us to a land filled with elves, wizards, talking owls, and one dragon who bears the four-star constellation that dominates the night sky. The lore of this land that crosses the veil between a world in which she didn’t belong, a world desperately in need of her powers to heal and save it becomes a story of timeless adventure, of epic proportions, a story that pits wizards against elves in a war to end all wars so that the world can finally heal itself. 

Hammonds storytelling mastery brings a heroine that will win readers hearts and keep readers turning pages into the night. Daughter of Starlight will satisfy fantasy lovers, lovers of adventures, and any reader who loves a strong female hero who overcomes her own weaknesses and fears to save her friends and a world she has grown to love. A Five-Star read! 😊