ABOUT FRANCESCA VARELA

About Me

Welcome! I’m Francesca Varela, a nature writer, environmentalist, and author of two novels: The Seas of Distant Stars and Blue Mar.

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 and minor in creative writing from the University of Oregon.

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