Meet the Author: Katie Zeliger

Get to know our newest author, Katie Zeliger. She wrote Through the Green Glass Door. Hear about her life, writing, and journey to publishing!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m Katie, wife and mom to 2 little boys. I’m the publisher at Meraki Press (and, yes, it is weird marketing my own book with my own publishing company!). I’ve helped dozens of authors launch their books and am ready to share my own with the world now!

I was a missionary for eight years (in 16+ countries) before returning home. I worked as an Assistant Director at a mental health drop in facility for a year and was also an Assistant Pastor for a few years. All of those experiences shaped my storytelling and the kind of stories I want the world to hear. 

What inspired you to write your book?

For our second anniversary, my husband and I went to Watkins Glen, NY. We hiked through the glen, around the waterfalls, and enjoyed every minute of it. On our way back, I paused at the top and just felt overcome by the beauty of the place. It felt magical, surreal. And a story began to unfold in my mind about the people who could live there. Driving home I told my husband and he said, “You should write a book!” So when I got home, I began the first draft!

Who is your favorite character and why?

Aunt Zelda and Alaric are my favorite characters in book one!! Aunt Zelda has such a striking personality, and while she is severe… she’s also so very misunderstood.Writing Alaric felt like I was stepping into someone new and alive in a special way. He’s got such a haunted past and broken story that (as a writer) it’s exciting to draw out and work with.

How did you come up with your characters’ names?

Mostly Pinterest! And baby name sites! Ha!

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

YES. I 1000% based Aunt Zelda off of a real person. (It’s one of the only perks of working in the service industry with difficult clients… they become characters! Ha!)

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I spent a lot of time doing “prep” work for this book. I have about 3 documents I use as my “book bible”. In those documents I have character sketches: their names, meaning of their names, personality traits, weaknesses, strengths, secrets, motivations, etc. I also have a world building section dedicated to keeping everything straight about different settings, creatures, how things work in the world, etc. 

I worked hard on establishing these things first so that when I sat down to write, the story would flow because I understood the characters and I understood where they were.

What did you edit out of this book?

Oh my gosh, so much!! The first half of the book has had a major overhaul about 3x now. I have written, deleted, rewritten & scrapped a prologue. And I’ve written multiple endings before deciding on the one you all read now!

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

So many! It was super fun as a writer to create little “easter eggs” that people who know me would understand as references to real life things. 

Even the title is a nod to a game we used to play in high school!

There’s also a lot of biblical themes throughout. Some may be obvious while others are nods to specific scriptures. Those aren’t exactly “Secret” but if you’re not looking for them, you likely won’t see them. 

What was your hardest scene to write?

The ending was definitely the most difficult. Mostly deciding where to leave the story in preparation for the second book. I wanted it to be satisfying enough for the reader, but still leave enough open-ended questions that they would NEED to read the second book!

What challenges temporarily stumped you when you were working out unique world building elements?

One very specific thing comes to mind - in relation to the beings in the portal realm (Stewards), I struggled to completely define their origin and motivations. It took a lot of head scratching but we got it. And now I offer the origin story for free here if you want a taste of how they came to be before diving into the book! Sign up for my newsletter to get the origin story ✨

How would you have reacted differently than your character if you found yourself in their shoes?

I think Scout’s reaction was pretty grounded in reality. I think I maybe would have had less panic attacks though, ha! Also, I don’t tend to struggle with the same kind of homesickness as she did, so I think I might love ending up in a new realm!

What was the easiest and most difficult part of publishing?

As a publisher, I know how to publish.

But as an author and publisher it felt very much like what most self-publishing authors go through (which is A LOT). Having to do everything on my own was difficult. Taking every choice personally made it even harder. As a publisher, I’m able to do things for my authors that they struggle to do for themselves (whether that’s marketing or scouting leads, etc) but putting myself out there, without anyone to do it with me/for me is so scary. It further ignites my passion to help first-time authors publish their books so they don’t have to do it alone.

Did you always want to write a book? If not, why now?

I’ve always loved creative writing and books, but I didn’t seriously think I’d write a book until I was at a large conference in 2025 manning the Meraki Press table. Someone looked through all the books and then looked at me and said, “Which one’s yours?” I just laughed and told them, i didn’t write books, I just published them. And they tutted at me, “What a shame.” And walked away. It made me reconsider somethings!

Do you think you'd ever write another book?

Yes! Book two is already being drafted and I have another work in progress on the back burner (Project Submerge).

Do you have a piece of advice for someone who wants to write a book?

Get your butt in the chair and write. There will always be reasons why you shouldn’t, or errands to run, or tasks to complete. You have to get your butt in the chair and just do it.

What have been some of your favorite books to read? 

I love reading fantasy, thrillers, folk horror & nonfiction (christian and/or self development). Some all time faves: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, My Throat an Open Grave by Tori Bovalino, Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang, and A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Yes, two things! 

I have a bookstagram page dedicated to writing & bookish updates. You’ll be able to find all the vibey & aesthetic posts about TTGGD as well as some memes and a whole lot of cool testimonies. Follow me on instagram at @overbookedandunderpaged 

And I am offering custom experience boxes & portal survival kits to accompany the reading experience! You can check them out on the Meraki Press Shop site!

Where can people find your book?

Signed copies are available on the Meraki Press shop site. Can be found in person at Hatten & Hays Mobile Bookstore in West Monroe, LA. It is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and beyond.

This book is clean, wholesome fiction (no swearing, no explicit scenes, no gratuitous violence) and intended for 14+. I recommend it for 14 years and up, not because there is bad content, but because there are some difficult topics that may not be best for a younger YA audience.

Some content warnings include: toxic thinking, anxiety, panic attacks, and some PTSD flashbacks to war, death and verbal/psychological abuse. 

Thank you, Katie Zeliger, for sharing your time and insights with us!

You can order her book here: Through the Green Glass Door by Katie Zeliger

Available everywhere January 26th, 2026!