Meet Michelle Sauer | Fantasy Author & K-8th grade Art Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Sauer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I have always had a passion for anything that expresses beauty, individuality, and imagination and wanted to have a career in a field where I could express that everyday. I grew up in southern California and for a long while, I wanted to work in the film/television industry. But as I pursed my degree, starting with interior design and then going into Arts Education, my path took me down the road of teaching and inspiring others, who I found, are often more artistic and creative than myself. Still wanting to keep my artistic toes in the pond of the entertainment industry, I earned my Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. After a few go’s at crafting film scripts, I found that my creative calling was with writing novels and becoming an indie author. I have proudly been working my ‘day job’ of teaching the arts at a K-8th grade school in Thornton, and by night, I am a self-published author with a second novel due out in late 2025. I chose the path of being an indie author and self-publisher because I have full creative control over my IP. Along with writing urban fantasy adventures that have mystery and romance, I create the artwork, the merchandise, the swag, have full control of marketing, and have found a beautiful community within Colorado and online of indie authors. My creative career may not have began where I had intended, but I have always had the arts in mind when making my decisions on where the artistic road will take me. I am so proud of the work I have done with giving my students experience with the arts and being able produce a entertaining stories and visuals to the book lovers of the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an indie author and self publisher of urban fantasy adventures, and by day, I’m an art teacher at a K-8th grade school in Thornton.

My career path was a bumpy one at first, with starting off as an interior design major and then following the path into Arts Education. Before I received my license to teach art in California, there was a freeze on teaching, especially for the arts, which quickly made me pivot my plan. After working in real estate, event planning, and being the chief operating officer of a HVAC company, I made the journey from California to Colorado, where a whole new world of creative possibilities entered my life.

I returned back to school to get my teaching license in Colorado, but unfortunately, I had to take a year long medical leave from Metro State University. Once I was able, I forced myself to go back and finish the teaching program. It was not an easy task, but having a support system of family encouraging me to keep my eye on the outcome of finally being able to enter the teaching profession as an art teacher, and in a state that valued the arts, was what kept me going.

I landed my first job as an art teacher in the same district as my mom, who was (retired, now) a middle school science teacher and had also recently started there. I’m proud to say that I am going on my thirteenth year at the same school and seven years ago I took over as the district art show coordinator, and have been part of the art show growing each year to an audience of over 800 people who come to view the artwork guided by the district’s art teachers and created by the district’s most talented students from PK-12th grade.

In that time, I also became an indie author, writing an urban fantasy adventure called Pacific Tails, with it’s sequel due out at the end of 2025, and own a self-publishing business under the name Sweet and Sauer Books. I create all the art inlays inside the book with a mix of using traditional and digital drawing mediums. I have relied on networking in the indie author field, finding friends, and a community of people who support one another by lifting each other up. The market may be flooded with indie and traditionally published books, but I stay grounded in the belief that there is room for every writer and genre on the bookshelves of readers.

I think what sets me apart from others is that I actually entered my artistic teaching profession later in life. With my life experiences and obstacles came wisdom and appreciation for professional drive, artistic freedom, and an understanding of a work-life balance. I have many different hobbies, some more creative than others, and I am a firm believer in balancing your life between work, fun, and relaxation because, as I have experienced over the years, stress is unavoidable, but can wreck havoc on your mental and physical well being and it is imperative that everyone have those enjoyable outlets in life, be in the present, and walk a life you will be proud to leave behind once you are no longer here.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a driver and will go anywhere, as long as there is parking. And if it is dog-friendly, even better because my husband and I take our husky everywhere we can.

Speaking of my husband, we got married up at Red Rocks, so that would be on the agenda for a morning hike with the dog, or visit for an evening concert.

Paddle boards is my newest outdoorsy hobby. I am terrible at it, and Shadow, my husky is dramatic about being in the water, but I have a blast being on the water, especially since my inner mermaid is sad about being in a land-locked state. A fun place to go would be Boyd Lake State Park where we could beach, picnic, and paddle board all day.

As a California girl, I’m so happy to have In-N’Out around now. Plus, with the outdoor seating, Shadow likes to go and munch on his own burger. Any location and any time of day or night will do.

Going to a symphony or ballet at the Denver Center for the Performing arts is a must. My husband and I highly enjoy watching movies as the Colorado Symphony plays along, and bonus, you can cosplay!

For a fun atmosphere and pizza, I would go visit Happy Camper Pizza. Barbecue, we would visit Nordy’s in Windsor. And Vietnamese food at Saigon Basil in Northglenn.

For a fun night out to listen to some rock, we would head up to Bobstock in Fort Morgan, have some good eats and walk the main street and shop from local vendors.

Estes is a must, especially the ghost tour at the Stanley, and visiting the shops on the main drag.

We own a ’76 Corvette Stingray and are very into classic cars, so any car show would do.

For a small concert venue next to a beautiful lake, we would go up to Dillion Amphitheater.

Ending the visit, we would go for a five-star meal at Eddie V’s in the DTC, then curl up at home in Lochbuie, out in the quiet farmlands.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To fellow Colorado author D. L. Blade who took so much time to help me navigate the indie author process.

To the Colorado Springs indie author community, especially to the authors and event planners of the yearly Springs Book Bash: C.H. Lyn, Michelle Hagood, H.N. Defore, L.J. Burkhart, Carly Stevens, Jay R. Wolf, Abigail Korver, Mandy Maree, Tracy Barski.

To the online Mermaid/Ocean Book writers community: Kayla Leyda, Amanda Casey, Madeline Burget.

To the Mapleton Public Schools community.

Website: https://www.sweetandsauerbooks.com

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