Are you searching for something different?
Me too
about my writing
Christian fiction has a bad rap. For many people it evokes the kind of stories where only the most wicked remain unsaved, all see the light, a quick prayer solves the most insurmountable of problems, and the main character ends with every longing of their heart fulfilled. These stories are not devoid of truth — right does win in the end, God does hear our prayers and wants what is best for us, faith can lead to miracles. It might even reveal the most important truth of the gospel. But it can ring a little hollow, that squeaky-clean soap bubble world where all wrongs are made right and even our enemies come to see the truth — or at least can deny or defeat it no longer.
My time on this earth hasn't been like that. I venture to imagine yours hasn't either. Because while God hears and answers every prayer, sometimes the answer is "not now." Sometimes it's "not ever." There is suffering that is hard to understand. There are people we love walking a path to destruction. There are divides that go unreconciled, and losses that leave deep scars.
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On the other end of the spectrum lies fiction that acknowledges the darkness of this world — and revels in it, leaving pain and suffering devoid of meaning, and leaving us devoid of hope.
In my own life, the books that I come back to again and again, that patch a little piece of my hurting soul, that make me feel seen and offer healing, are the ones that walk the line. That acknowledge the painful realities we live in, and deep into that raw and aching wound they pour hope. They pour light.
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As Christians, God has entrusted us with the most incredible story that a person could ever hope to pen. The most epic transition from hate to love, made possible by undeserved sacrifice. The most unlikely of redemption arcs, a complete change of heart and mind. A message that promises hope and healing, freedom and salvation, no matter how dark the circumstances.
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A story that's not remotely safe, but a story with the power to change everything.
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This is what I want my stories to reflect.
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So I invite you to bridge that divide with me, friend. And together, we can shine the true light in the darkness.
about me
I may look like your typical software engineer turned story-scribbler but don't be fooled — I'm really three anxious rabbits in a trench coat with the terrible habits of talking to imaginary beings and annoying my family with never-ending "what if" questions. Fortunately for everyone involved, I discovered at a young age the power stories give us to explore, to question, and to live a thousand lives. And I've been hooked ever since.
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I love writing stories featuring slow-burn redemption arcs, gothic-inspired settings, deep bonds of friendship, sacrifices that stand against the highest odds, and reminders that hope can still be found even in the blackest of storms. Inspired by my own struggles with mental health, I strive to contribute to more accurate representation in fiction.
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When I'm not bribing my characters to behave, I can be found tending to a growing collection of plants, befriending the neighborhood black cat, and playing Jenga with my towering to-be-read pile. I love hiking, spending inordinate amounts of time at the beach, learning random trivia to share at equally random moments, and cramming my mouth full of cookies.
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But most importantly, I have been mercifully and undeservedly redeemed by the blood of my Savior Jesus Christ, who has given me peace and comfort in the most difficult of times. My deepest wish is that others can find this hope as well.
fun facts
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I live in (not quite) a castle by the sea, which may or may not be haunted. We call her Martha
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I named my plants after my favorite gothic authors and the creme de la creme of fictional men
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I'm proud to be a cofounder and admin of Write for Life, a prolife writing community
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I need to be under a canopy of trees or a sky full of stars every so often or I fade away like a fairy changeling
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I am a Sydney Carton apologist. Ask only if you dare
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If I had to uproot my life entirely I'd move to Charleston, SC
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I spent a brief stint in grad school and wrote half a novel about it. Chemistry is still awesome but grad school is not my scene
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Chronic health issues make life a real pain sometimes (pun intended). But one of my favorite ways to keep up an adventurous spirit is to constantly be learning new things, from ASL to ballroom dancing
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Some books and authors that have influenced my writing are: Kazuo Ishiguro, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), Edgar Allan Poe, Daphne du Maurier, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Arthur Conan Doyle), Robert Louis Stevenson, Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury), and Margaret Peterson Haddix
“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Make some light.”
— Kate DiCamillo