Beatty’s fourth book, Willa of the Wood, published in July 2018, introduced a brand new heroine who quickly became a beloved favorite among many readers. The second book in the series, Serafina and the Twisted Staff, became a #1 New York Times best seller in the first week of its launch and earned a “Starred Review” from Kirkus Reviews, which said, “Even better than its predecessor, a sequel that delivers nonstop thrills from beginning to end.” The third book in the series, Serafina and the Splintered Heart, came out in 2017 to much acclaim. The first book in the Serafina Series, Serafina and the Black Cloak, was a #1 New York Times best seller, has been on the list for more than 60 weeks, and won the prestigious 2016 Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.

When asked about the inspiration for his writing, Robert said, “The Serafina and Willa books were inspired by my desire to write about heroic young girls for my three daughters.' In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Beatty was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative Magazine. He loves to explore the historic Biltmore Estate and the Blue Ridge Mountains where his novels take place.

Robert Beatty lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters, who help create and refine his stories. He is also the author of the #1 New York Times best-selling Willa of the Wood Series, the story of a young forest girl with ancient magical powers who struggles for survival and understanding in the Great Smoky Mountains. Loved by both young readers and adults alike, the Serafina and Willa books are being taught in over a thousand classrooms nationwide, and have been translated into over 22 languages. Robert Beatty is the author of the #1 New York Times best-selling Serafina Series published by Disney-Hyperion, a spooky mystery-thriller about a brave and unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate, surrounded by the opulence of the Gilded Age and the rugged beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Splintered heart