Ferrell Hornsby moved to Long Beach more than two years ago and is known for her musical talents. She also is a published author in three genres, and will be participating in the Oct. 5 book fair in Seaview.

“My grandmother encouraged me and I received my first rejection letter at age 12,” she laughed.

Growing up in New Mexico, where she wrote stories and poetry in grade school, then living in Utah, music was a huge part of her life. She raised five children and taught piano; she and her husband, Ron, who also has five children, moved to Long Beach a couple of years ago.

“I started telling stories to my kids,” she said. “When they grew up and started having children, they said I needed to have these published.”

Her series of children’s book featuring the adventures of the Hoppity Floppity Gang began appearing in 2014 and has morphed into seven editions. Written under the pen name of Nana Ferrell, they target second- and third-grade readers with stories of kites and dinosaurs.

“The biggest challenge with children’s books is illustrators, because they are extremely expensive — but they deserve every penny!” she said. A recent solution has been to invite their 26 grandchildren to provide pictures.

“After the third book, my publisher said, ‘I would like to see you write some romance,’” she recalled. She immediately thought of modern Harlequin-style stories and didn’t believe that would suit her. “ I said, ‘I can’t get into that,’ so I tried historical romance.”

Variety has been evident in her works in that genre, published under the pseudonym Emily Daniels:

• “Devlin’s Daughter” is set against the background of the 1803 rebellion in Ireland;

• “Lucia’s Lament” tells of a nurse who falls in love during the Crimean War of the 1850s;

• “A Song for a Soldier” features the World War I “Christmas truce” of 1914, told from the points of view of British and German soldiers. This has an audio version, narrated by actor Paul Eiding, who has appeared on “Cheers” and “The West Wing.”

“I have an idea for a story and do the history research then create the characters,” Hornsby said. “I see how the characters come to life. I have an idea where they are going, but they inevitably take over! I just run with the story.”

Using her own name, Hornsby has embraced another genre — inspirational — with a work called, “If We’re Breathing, We’re Serving,” based on her husband’s brave response to multiple sclerosis.

Since their move to Long Beach, Hornsby has stayed active with her music, as accompanist for the Bayside Singers and — complete with her own nun costume at the keyboard — in the Peninsula Players’ March production of “Nunsense.”

She said she is looking forward to the book fair. “I am comfortable talking with the public,” she said. “It is going to be really fun. I am excited.”