… About …
Hi, I’m Ava!
I remember trying to write stories before I could even read. From listening to my parents read aloud, to playing with my siblings, to devouring every book I could get my hands on, stories have always been a big part of my life. They are for most of us.
Living in the countryside of Texas, I’m constantly finding inspiration in walks through the woods, in the wild birds and animals around me, and in the sunsets painted outside each evening. I am homeschooled and live at home with my family of eleven. (Yes, that means nine siblings!) Being able to share this adventure of life with them has been the biggest inspiration for every story I tell.
Reading sparked so much of my desire to tell good stories. After devouring my first real novel (The Ark, the Reed, & the Fire Cloud by Jenny L. Cote) at the age of eight, it inspired the first book I ever tried writing about my own pets.
While I’ve come a long way since then, my love for good stories has only grown from there. I’ve grown up in a home filled with good books always everywhere. (That’s the best way to describe it, I think!)
Books like The Wingfeather Saga, Lightfall, Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Green Ember have greatly influenced my own worldbuilding and writing.
What I Write
The genres I write are YA epic fantasy and dystopian! I love stories driven by broken characters desperately trying to find the light in their world. The adventure in my stories centers around the journey and growth of the characters I create, exploring themes and truths that we struggle with in our everyday lives.
As I’ve gotten older and dipped into the world of young adult fiction, I’ve grown to love the characters, emotions, and the voice that comes with that storytelling! Yet many YA novels I read seem to be missing so much of the light, hope, and humor of a middle grade novel. The more I’ve read, the more I’ve realized how much I wanted stories that bridged this gap.
I wanted stories that still acknowledge the dark while lighting a way through it with fun, quirky characters. If you want the same thing, then my stories are for you! And if you would like to sample my writing for yourself, you can hop over and read my short story, Wings of the Sunrise.
My Writing Journey
(Thus Far)
The Young Writer’s Workshop
Though I’ve always loved writing, my journey really took off after joining my first online Writers Summit hosted by Brett Harris. Since then, I asked myself seriously for the first time, “Can I really be an author? Is this a dream I can start pursing right now?”
Well, as of last year I have become a student of The Young Writers Workshop! This amazing online community was created by Brett Harris, Jaquelle Ferris, and Kara Swanson. It is also run by a team of amazing instructors. Through this community of young writers, I’ve grown in more ways than I’d dreamed possible. I’m now surrounded by like-minded people who have become such close friends in my journey. Over the past several years, I’ve also joined multiple YWW Crazy Writing Week and Crazy Editing Week Competitions. And yes, they are absolutely crazy! I was also a part of the first Crazy Writing Month Competition, in which I drafted an entire novel in a single month.
Going through the Young Writers Honors Academy has led me to finding mentorship under Jenny L. Cote, which has been such a treasure and blessing to my writing and life. In the first Epic Inkling classes she held, along with a small group of other young writers, we joined over Zoom while she taught us from her personal experiences with writing, editing, and publishing.
My Faith
I can’t talk about my writing without also telling you about my faith. Most importantly, I am a Christian and a servant of Jesus, saved by His grace alone. My hope is to honor Him in all that I do, just as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
So, does that mean that my stories are “Christian Fiction?”
No, not necessarily.
Through stories, I believe some of the greatest messages of hope, truth, and grace can be told. While my stories don’t always contain direct references to God, I let Jesus be the heartbeat of everything I write. For me, this means shining a light into the dark places and trusting Him to lead the way. After all, God is the greatest Storyteller there is.
… Art …
I’ve loved creating artwork since before I loved writing. Oftentimes you might find me hunching over my desk and a blank sketch book, scribbling out whatever is in my head; whether made-up creatures, characters, or settings in the stories I write. Pencil is what I use the most, but I also love painting with watercolors. After all, art is only another way of telling a story. (And I can never get enough of good illustrations in books!)
… Pets …
Many of my pets find their way into my stories as (mostly) important characters! I’ve always loved animals, and living out in the country has blessed me with countless opportunities for exploring and experiencing the wildlife around me; including personally caring for and raising both a cottontail rabbit (now living happily back in the wild) and a mouse. We may or may not also have dogs, chickens, a turtle, and a few lizards hanging around.
Bio