A.J. O'Connell is a writer of literary adventure stories who enjoys using fancy words and making people laugh. Her latest book, "The Eagle and the Arrow," released in 2013 by Battered Suitcase Press, is the sequel to 2012's "Beware the Hawk." She's also published short stories in Independent Ink Magazine, on NPR's website and in several anthologies.She's always loved to read, which engendered a love of writing, and she's pursued writing in many different forms: as a teenager she was a bad poet, after college she was a reporter, and after that, she obtained her MFA at a low-residency program, which taught her how to use strong verbs and also how to survive on an island with 100 other writers.She currently lives in Connecticut with her husband, son, dog and cat. She has an office in which she writes and drinks a lot of tea, which is a poor substitute for wine, but more socially acceptable at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday.