Francesca G. Varela

Fiction Writer

OR
Oregon US
Twitter/X: 

Author's Bio

Francesca G. Varela was raised in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 2015 with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Creative Writing. During her time at UO, Francesca had pieces published in campus publications including Envision: Environmental Journalism and The Ecotone Journal of Environmental Studies. She then attended the University of Utah, and in 2018 she received her master’s degree in Environmental Humanities. She now works as a freelance copy editor in the Portland area, and she continues to write environmentally-themed novels. When not writing or reading, she spends her time practicing piano, figure skating, doing yoga, and exploring Oregon’s wild places.

Publications & Prizes

Books:
Blue Mar (Homebound Publications, 2021)
,
The Seas of Distant Stars (Homebound Publications, 2018)
,
Listen (Homebound Publications, 2016)
,
Call of the Sun Child (Homebound Publications, 2014)
Prizes won: 

The Seas of Distant Stars

  • Gold Medal for Science Fiction - 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards
  • Finalist -  2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Science Fiction)

Listen 

  • Notable Book - 2016 Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Awards (Young-Adult)
  • Finalist - 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Young Author) 
  • Finalist - 2016 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards (Young-Adult)
  • Finalist - 2016 USA Best Book Awards (Young-Adult)

Call of the Sun Child 

  • Bronze Medal for Best First Book - 2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
  • Finalist - 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Young-Adult)

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Ursula K. Le Guin, Elizabeth Strout, Louise Erdrich, Mary Oliver
What I'm reading now: 
Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Latino/Latina/Latinx, White
Prefers to work with: 
Adults, Any, Naturalists/Environmentalists
Born in: 
CA
California
Raised in: 
OR
Oregon
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Oct 16, 2024