While in fifth grade, Tabitha Anderson-Caswell was inspired by one of her teachers to keep a journal. After embracing the advice to the fullest, the former Falls native is gearing up to release her first novel, “Monad: The Awakening of Stella Steinar.”

“I must give credit to my fifth grade teacher from AB Middle School, Mr. Miller,” Anderson-Caswell said of the teacher who inspired her to keep a journal. “He encouraged us to spend half an hour every day exploring our feelings about life through writing. It worked for me, helping to foster my creativity.”

Anderson-Caswell said as she surrounded herself to writing her thoughts in her journal, she was able to pinpoint two things she wanted to be when she grew up: an author who illustrates her own books or an Olympic gymnast.

As she grew up and attended Rainy River Community College and later Range Tech in Eveleth, Anderson-Caswell realized her true calling in life was to write.

“I’ve written and developed some children’s books, but haven’t been successful in completing the illustrations on my own,” the first-time published author who goes by the pen name T. Anderson said.

The idea for Monad was born from Anderson-Caswell’s love of creating something from nothing. The novel, according to its website, is about the adopted but privileged, Stella Steiner, the daughter of two renowned scientists, who is embarking on a new chapter of her life. Ignoring her steadily increasing headaches and visions, Stella is anxious to leave everything in Minnesota behind and anonymously begin again. Headed for Berkeley, fate has other plans for her. What’s about to happen in California will change everything she knows about herself and the world — forever.

Monad, the largest scientific research firm in the world, seems to be hiding a top-secret project. And who is in charge? Stella’s adoptive father and Berkeley alumni, Dr. Erling Steinar. On her quest for the truth, Stella finds herself deeply intertwined in the project — but is it too late? Will she have time to change the future and escape her inevitable destiny?

Anderson-Caswell said using the process of words to create the story of Monad and describe her ideas was “empowering.”

“This is the part I liked the most,” she said of the writing process. “The most difficult part was finding a balance between writing and my regular routine. All I wanted to do was write.”

She added that while her husband of 15 years, Kevan, missed her while she was clicking away at the keys, he encouraged her to start what she finished.

“Getting the book published, for me, was more intense that writing the book,” she noted. “My first goal was to finish writing and I didn’t let myself see beyond that until it was finished.”

She continued that after what seemed like endless editing, she found herself a mentor.

“He may not have realized this until he reads this,” Anderson-Caswell joked.

Daniel Walls, one of Anderson-Caswell’s fellow Falls High School classmates and debut author himself, “nudged” her in the right direction. She calls his assistance “invaluable.”

As Monad’s tentative release date of Friday nears, Anderson-Caswell looks back on the writing process and claims she wouldn’t do anything differently.

“It was a necessary learning curve,” she said. “This is my first attempt at something this big, so I’m anxious for feedback. I want my readers to be entertained”

The author is already planning a sequel for Monad and plans it to be better than the first.

Monad will be available through Anderson-Caswell’s publisher’s website www.sunburypress.com as well as Amazon, Ingram and Barnes and Noble. Signed copies are also available at www.MONAD2012.com.

Anderson-Caswell lives with her husband and their 9-year-old border collie Chico in Ontario, Canada.