Hello there! I’m Maya: writer, wanderer, dreamer, bookdragon, forest girl, poet, and sinner saved by grace. I believe in the power of stories, the beauty of creation and creativity, and the unending grace of God.
I write stories to make you long beyond yourself. Stories to make you hope and dream and imagine; to make you remember what you have forgotten. To give you courage to create. To make you brave.
Will you join me? There will be pain and tears, but it’s all worth it.
Because the stories are true.

Life is hard. The world is cruel, and it’s so hard to see anything good. We get stuck wandering through endless darkness, hopelessness, and fear.
But don’t give up, wanderers! There is hope.
It’s like the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad has happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines, it’ll shine out the clearer. I know now folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something. That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.
~ Sam Gamgee, The Lord of the Rings
There is some good in this world. There’s beauty, and truth, and virtue, and glory, and friendship. There are stories and songs and food and fires.
All we need to do is remember the things we’ve forgotten.
We need something to remind us that it still exists, even if we can’t see it. We need something beautiful hanging in the dark sky to remind us there is such a thing as daylight.
~ Armulyn the Bard, The Wingfeather Saga
Remember the story the whole world is whispering.
The winter is whispering, “green and gold,”
And the heart is whispering, too —
It’s a story the Maker has always told
And the story, my child, is true.~ Armulyn the Bard, The Wingfeather Saga
And impossible things can happen.
Jane, I remember! It’s all true! Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins — it all happened!
~ Michael Banks, Mary Poppins Returns
And we will see the day.
The sun will shine on us again.
~ Loki, Avengers: Infinity War
meet the storyteller
I love making new friends, and I’m really good at spouting random facts about myself. Such as…
- I’m a nineteen-year-old liberal arts college student studying classical languages!
- I love to talk and write letters and emails! Especially about deep things like theology and politics.
- I’m a Gryffinclaw, a type 4, and an INFP, but I believe personality types can’t fully define anyone.
- I’m a Christian and I believe in the Trinity, the truth of the whole Bible, and salvation by grace alone.
- I love to very enthusiastically tell other people about things I love.
- My favorite colors are blue, grey, forest green, rose gold, dusty rose, and silver.
A bit of madness is key to give us new colors to see
Who knows where it will lead us?
And that’s why they need usSo bring on the rebels, the ripples from pebbles
The painters and poets and playsAnd here’s to the fools who dream
Crazy as they may seem
Here’s to the hearts that break
Here’s to the mess we make~ Mia, La La Land
I have so, so many favorite things that it’s hard to make lists, but here’s an attempt:
- FICTION: The Queen’s Thief, The Stormlight Archive, LOTR, the Chronicles of Narnia, Till We Have Faces, Ashtown Burials, The Blue Castle, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Pride and Prejudice, Gilead, Knight’s Fee, Chalice, The Secret Garden, the Tales of Goldstone Wood, Red Rising, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, the Wingfeather Saga, Dune
- NONFICTION: Death By Living, Orthodoxy, The Abolition of Man, Adorning the Dark, “On Fairy-Stories,” Every Moment Holy
- MOVIES: Rogue One, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Return of the King, La La Land, Belle, Gattaca, Gladiator, This Beautiful Fantastic, Tolkien
- TV: The Chosen, Wives and Daughters, The Mandalorian, North and South, All Creatures Great and Small, Shadow and Bone
- MUSICALS: Dear Evan Hansen, Fiddler on the Roof, Hamilton, Hadestown, Anastasia, Newsies
- MUSICIANS: Andrew Peterson, The Gray Havens, Jess Ray, Sarah Sparks
A day may come when my novel is finished, when I have written it all and finished editing it, but it is not this day. A time of rejoicing and happiness when the hours of typing are finally complete, but it is not this day! This day… I write.

He is the missing piece to the puzzle — the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. Every story whispers his name.
~ Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible
Well hullo there!
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks so much for following my blog! I also wanted to come and investigate yours, and it is truly lovely. I’m definitely gonna be around here more often. Your heroes are nearly identical to mine, and I feel we have the same interests when it comes to books and cleverness (let me know if you caught that reference). Again, so glad to make you and your blog’s acquaintance – I hope to see you around my blog in the coming posts as well 🙂
Cheers,
Emily x
P.S. Love your t-shirt with the Moria door on it. I’ve always wanted one, but never gotten around to buying one yet 😦
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Thank you! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my blog. I don’t recognize the reference, sorry… care to enlighten me?
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Haha, no trouble! “Books and cleverness” as in from Harry Potter – it’s one of Hermione’s lines from the first Harry potter books 🙂
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Hi Maya!
I replied to your email yesterday morning – are you able to see it? 🙂 (It may help if you save my email address I submitted via the form to your contact/address book.)
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Ah, I don’t think I got it this time either… will do!
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I *just now re-forwarded it to both your addresses. 🙂 Let me know if you can see it!
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Hey Maya! I’m Ellen, a newcomer to your blog. 😀 A bit about me: I’m an author, reader, big sister, blogger, and follower of Jesus who loves eating tacos and taking long road trips. 🙂 Your writing style is AMAZING, and I look forward to reading more of your posts! ❤
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Oh, that’s so sweet of you. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my blog!
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Hello, Maya!
I just discovered your blog and it looks wonderful! I am so excited to read more of your content. 😀 So, a little bit about me: I’m a born-again believer, blogger, amateur photographer, online homeschooler, and avid bookworm. I enjoyed reading your about page!
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Neat! Sounds like we have a lot in common. I take one online homeschool class 🙂
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Aw Maya this is all awesome!!
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You’ve been following my blog for a little bit now, and I still hadn’t checked out your blog! Just wanted to drop a message here and say WOW you and I are similar when it comes to favorite authors and books. That’s awesome. I’m now a follower, and would have been one just based on your tag-line. So good, so true. 😍
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I know! That’s one of the reasons I followed you (; Thanks so much for commenting!
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That’s awesome! 😊
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Hi Maya!
I loved your intro post! It was super cool and creative. I’m looking forward to reading more posts!😄
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Hi MJ,
I saw you requested access to my blog, and I was curious how you found it? I’m not opposed to giving you access. I just want to get to know you a little better first. 🙂
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Hey! I found it through Rebekah Elle’s blog, and since I really appreciate her content, I thought I might enjoy yours. No problem if you’d rather not give me access. (:
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Mine is pretty different from hers haha. You’re welcome to read it though!
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Hello, Maya! I’m Shanessa nice to meet ya! You have a great blog I’ll definitely be coming back for more! 😉💗
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You and I wore very similar (okay, creepily similar) outfits for our senior photos. I wore a floral dress with a jean jacket too! Tell me what kind of shoes you wore. 😂
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Hi sweet Maya, I just wanted to let you know I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award… although I realise you’ve done it recently, so no pressure to do it again! I love reading your blog and I think you write beautifully! Hope you’re having a great day!
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I love the Samwise Gamgee quote!! It’s one of my favourite quotes from LOTR. BTW, your blog and graphics are all supper pretty!
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You have Till We Have Faces AND The Forgotten Beasts of Eld AND This Beautiful Fantastic AND Wives and Daughters AND Hadestown AND The Grey Havens on your favorites list — ma’am, may I just say, it’s an honor to know you. *shakes hand*
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WELL how could I not? They are all so marvelous. But The Forgotten Beasts of Eld?? I don’t know anyone who likes that book!!! It is so good and I really need to read more McKillip.
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