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As a child, Serena was that quiet kid who had her head in the clouds. Or, in her case, a head full of magic and dragons. She discovered her dream of becoming an author in second grade thanks to her wonderful teacher Mrs. Thorner, who always encouraged her creativity. She wrote stories on looseleaf between classes and roamed the fantasy section of her school library. Although she started many stories, she never finished them until high school, when she wrote “Journey” and then “Cold Clues.” Her cousin helped her create social media accounts– accounts that mostly lay unused until she returned to them in adulthood.

She attended the University of Rochester where she received a Bachelors of Science in Geology and minored in creative writing, and the University at Buffalo where she received a Masters of Science in Geology. Although college sapped her mental and creative energy, she always knew that she would eventually return to her dream of becoming an author. After a very short career in the Environmental Consulting industry, she decided it was time to dust off that dream.

Today, Serena works as both a fantasy author and tutor. She writes a twice-monthly newsletter and posts book-nerd memes on Instagram as she works on publishing her next novel. Serena lives in New York with her parents, siblings, extended family, and four cats, without whom she would not be where she is today. When she isn’t working, she can be found hiking, crafting, or playing Dungeons & Dragons with her family..

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Birth date: May 25, 1997

Place of Birth: Bethlehem, PA

Education: I attended the University of Rochester, where I minored in Creative Writing and majored in Geology. I also studied American Sign Language for 4 semesters and was a member of the orchestra and chorus for all 4 years. My favorite part of college was the UR’s Taekwondo club, where I made most of my college friends. I was the club’s Vice President for 2 years but didn’t actually do a lot on the eboard, and finally took responsibility as the President for my senior year. I received a blackbelt and learned a little Iaido. I attended the University at Buffalo for 1.5 years and interned for the Environmental Bureau of Buffalo’s Attorney General’s Office. After college, I attended a virtual program that prepared recent graduates for work in the Environmental Consulting industry. I then joined the DIYMFA Author Platform workshop and Bookcamp, which was one of the best decisions I ever made for my career as an author.

Childhood influences: Did you know that I didn’t like reading as a small child? Sounds strange coming from an author, right? The rest of my family adored books, but not me. My love for books is all thanks to my grandmother. Gramma and I would read the Molly American Girl books out loud together, trading paragraphs. I remember sitting next to her on her couch and trying to pronounce “isle.” Eventually, I took off on my own and the rest is history.

I was already writing stories in elementary school, but I didn’t know that I wanted to be an author until third grade. I adored my teacher Mrs. Thorner. She encouraged my creativity, and at the end of the year, she gave me this note: “Thank you for the globe. What a wonderful gift idea! You are so thoughtful. I will miss your stories next year. Keep writing over the summer. Enjoy your break and I hope that I see you soon!” It might seem small to you, but it was the spark that lit my dream. So, if there are any teachers or future-teachers reading this, never forget the influence you have on your students!

As for my love of fantasy in general, well, that’s thanks to my parents introducing me to Lord of the Rings and D&D at a young age. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for raising me geeky!

Work experience: During college, I worked one semester as a workshop leader for my Geology 101 professor– I helped the TA teach labs. I then worked as a lab technician and prepared soil samples for a graduate student for about a year. During graduate school, I was a scientific intern for the Environmental Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office in Buffalo, also for about a year. I only lasted a month as an Associate Geologist for NY geology, but that’s because I was considering taking a different direction with my career. I still work as an online Earth Science tutor for Tutor.com alongside my author career.

Family and pets: I live with my parents, little sister, and four cats: Hermy (short for Hermione, no he is not a girl), Neville, Parker, and Tavi. Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins live in the same neighborhood or even the same street as we do. My older sister and her spouse are about an hour away and visit most weekends. My sisters are my BFFs.

Favorite authors/movies: How can anyone pick a favorite book?! There are too many good ones! Instead of favorite books, I’ll say that my favorite authors are Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher, and Rick Riordan. My favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended edition), which I count as one long movie.

Hobbies: D&D, of course. I also enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and frisbee. I like musical theater and I sing and play the violin. I also customize dolls and watch way too much anime and D&D podcasts.


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