ABOUT FRANCESCA VARELA

About Me

Before I became a novelist and nature writer, I grew up in the suburban outskirts of Portland, Oregon befriending owls, playing beneath ancient cedar trees, and developing a deeply rooted sense of place. My writing is informed by this lifelong love of nature and by my environmental education, which includes an M.A. in environmental humanities from the University of Utah and a B.A. in environmental studies (with a minor in creative writing!) from the University of Oregon. So far I’ve released four environmental novels, all published by a small press: Call of the Sun Child, Listen, The Seas of Distant Stars, and Blue Mar.

When not writing or reading, I usually spend my time playing piano, drawing, hiking, kayaking, doing yoga, spending time with my dog, Cashew, and exploring Oregon’s wild places. For nature writing and poetry, visit my blog and follow me on Instagram!