By SANDRA THAMES/Community Columnist

Former Alabaster resident and 1982 Thompson High School graduate Stephen Colter is now a published author.

As is the case with many books, the idea for this book began years ago. Colter’s great, great grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian who was adopted by a white family as a baby.

Her parents choose to “give her up” rather than face the Trail of Tears with her.

Colter had a good start on his book and many ideas on a computer that fried in 2009.

Two years later, some of the data was pulled from the hard drive and rekindled the writing.

The next few years consisted of writing, rewriting, editing and diligently searching for a publisher.

In the fall of 2012, Colter was invited by a friend to the National Book Festival Gala at the Library of Congress.

Lois Lowery, well-known futuristic fiction writer, many marketing representatives, other writers and a retired librarian from the Library of Congress inspired Colter to get published someway, somehow.

A few months later his book “Shadow Caster” was available in paperback on Amazon and in eBook on sites such as Smashworks, Kindle, Barnes and Noble and iBooks.

Staying healthy and being happy are what make Colter tick.

His wife, Robin, and daughter, Camille, complete his family (along with his dogs Tigger and Roo).

“I’m happiest with family — that’s my best vacation,” Colter said.

Colter is employed with Tom Williams Audi-Porsche in sales, enjoying what he calls his “fun job”.

He also loves mountain biking.

Retirement is only a remote possibility for Colter, he said.

“I may never find time for that, so I have no set goals or plans,” Colter said.

“My biggest obstacle is myself. I am the only person who can stand in the way of my accomplishments.”

Community columnist Sandra Thames can be reached  by email at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.