About

My Piece of the Puzzle is the publishing business of C.S. Shride, author of the Lucy Dakota: Adventures of a Modern Explorer young adult book series, the Straight Talk for Teens book series (available in 2013), the Lucy Dakota Reflections Journal (available Winter 2012) and the Lucy Dakota Travel Journal (available now).

Ms. Shride helps girls and women who don't know or appreciate their own worth discover their strengths and gifts, and inspire them to live THEIR lives and dreams. She envisions a world where young women love themselves, know their greatness and live passionate, authentic lives. Her mission is to help girls girls and women overcome their sense of inadequacy, fear of rejection, self doubt and habits of self sabotage.

With that dream in mind, she created the series Lucy Dakota: Adventures of a Modern Explorer. Lucy is a typical teenage girl who has trouble fitting in at school until she climbs her first 14,000-foot peak in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and begins to explore the world outside, as well as her inner world. In the first book, our young heroine transforms from a timid, chubby tween hiding from school bullies to a brave, spirited, globe-trotting leader.

Shride's goal for Lucy is that she become the Harry Potter of the next generation, engaging young women around the world. She envisions a series of at least 8 books with at least 10 million copies in print by the end of the series release in 2018. She also sees Lucy as more than just a book series. In trademarking Lucy Dakota she included the categories of clothing, games & playthings, and entertainment which includes a TV series or movie. Ms. Shride now working on Book 2-Journey to Nepal where Lucy's international adventures take off.