Kingston Teen Mariah Lowman Launches Debut Novel With Make-A-Wish Celebration

Mariah Lowman had already sold more than 120 copies of her debut novel before she ever held one in her hands.

The 15-year-old from Kingston got that moment on March 12 at the Well-Read Moose in Coeur d'Alene, where Make-A-Wish Idaho celebrated the launch of Dragon Slayers, the first book in her Golden Heir series. The event included a book signing and reading, attended by her closest friends and family. Because Mariah recently underwent a kidney transplant, the launch was not open to the public.

Make-A-Wish Idaho granted Mariah's wish to become a published author, pairing her with writing mentor and author Ridley Pearson and providing editing and publishing support throughout the process. The wish itself came from a discovery Mariah made while choosing what to request: Make-A-Wish Idaho had previously granted the same wish to another child.

"That's a really cool idea," Mariah said in a press release. "It could give me a headstart on my career as a writer. It was a blessing, definitely. That conversation started this whole process."

Despite the mentorship and organizational support, the reporting is clear that Mariah still did the hard work of writing the book herself. The cancer survivor channeled that effort into a fantasy world centered on a protagonist named Nakara, who is sent on a deadly quest to save the kingdom of Zenith by defeating the dragons threatening her home. Along the way, Nakara faces danger, betrayal, and heartbreaking loss before discovering she is the Golden Heir, more powerful than she ever believed.

Dragon Slayers is available for purchase online. With the Golden Heir series planned as a multi-book project, the launch at the Well-Read Moose marks only the beginning of Mariah Lowman's career as a published author.