Tominda Adkins, a recent graduate from Shepherd University, has just published her own book entitled, “Vessel.” which hit stands Feb. 1. Adkins moved to Seattle, Wash. where she has launched her book.

To Adkins, this project is about more than just selling her book. It is about satisfying a genre deficiency.

“I’m a Poca Dot at heart – meaning I’m from Poca, W.Va., a tight-knit town in Putnam County. In the halls of Poca High School, my friend Lindsey and I were never without our neon spiral notebooks full of ongoing fantasy epics. That’s where it all started,” Adkins said.

“Take a look at the fantasy section in your favorite book store, and what do you see? Probably a lot of femme fatales in latex underwear,” Adkins said in a recent press release. “I’m sorry but I just can’t take a heroine seriously when she is slaying demons in barely more than a bra. Everyone knows that demons go right for the abdomen. You have to protect yourself.”

Q: What did you study at Shepherd University?

A: I studied small business management and graphic design, and it was a good mix. It gave me the foundation I needed to do some freelance design after college, and also a practical outlook on marketing when it came to publishing “Vessel.” I can’t undervalue the extracurriculars or classes like Appalachian Heritage, though. They really shaped my time there.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory of your time in Shepherdstown?

A: If I must pick one, then it’s got to be the contra dance. There are contra dances in Seattle and other cities, but let me tell you: none of them match the energy and thrill of a Shepherdstown contra dance. Perfect dance floor, perfect music, perfect people, and lots of howling. Add a walk home in the snow or a summer night in the Meck garden afterwards, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the best nights of your life.

Q: What took you to Seattle?

A: I was looking for a fresh start. I loved life in the Panhandle, but I was ready to try something different, shake myself up, and get serious about the book. Seattle had always appealed to me for some reason. Coffee, rain, sea, mountains, a great art scene, and author Tom Robbins – it had everything I wanted, so away I went.

Q: You mention this is the first book in a series. How many do you have planned?

A: Five, and the remaining four are already mapped out. I won’t give any details, but the series does follow what I’ve heard described as “the Harry Potter Arc” – they get darker as they go along. I can be a bit of a sadist. Just ask my characters.

Q: What is “Vessel” about?

A: Divine, almighty and about 6,000 years late, the Vessel are five living gods born to smite an ancient anomaly of death. That’s what beloved pop legend Jesse Cannon is saying, anyway – after claiming to be a Vessel himself. It’s enough to drive Jordan, his long- suffering personal assistant, to hand in her two weeks’ notice. She might not survive one week, though, because Jesse’s divine vision is no myth. Something is stalking them both, and it’s not a crazed fan.

Vessel’s first installment brings five amateur deities together for the ride of their immortal lives – on a tricked-out tour bus, of course. Along the way, they must confront flesh-eating tentacles, water gun assassins, powerful cocktails, undead groupies, and one very fed up celebrity assistant. Gird your loins and step aboard: this Armageddon is just getting started.

– The paperback is now available at www.readvessel.com and at online book retailers. The paperback will retail for $14.99 and e-books will be $2.99. Please feel free to contact the author at vessel.tom@gmail.com