Born in Oklahoma in 1987, Ary Shevaun (full name: Arynn Shevaun Meyer) began her life in contradiction. Her father was wealthy, but her parent's volatile separation meant that her mother-- whom she lived with, was poor. Her surroundings were conservative, yet she was raised to be open-minded and accepting. When she turned ten, her family moved to Southern California, where the contradictions continued. She attended wealthy schools even though her bed at home was the living room couch. The electricity was often shut off, the plumbing rarely worked, and white rice with butter made up most of her meals. At the age of fourteen, her little sister was born-- which put even more strain on their struggling household. Ary's mother was forty, resulting in a rocky birth. She soon became ill and had to be hospitalized for several weeks; leaving Ary to take over her infant sister's care. Later on, her mother suffered a work injury that permanently debilitated her, so Ary raised her sister over the next eighteen years, teaching her to read and write, taking her to school, feeding her, clothing her, and keeping a roof over her head. Thankfully, after her sister graduated high school, their family found some financial stability-- meaning Ary could finally focus on her own needs.

 

Currently, Ary is living in the California Bay Area with her husband. Together, they've built the life she's always wanted. His hard work, coupled with her drive, allowed Ary to finally focus on her writing. The daughter of a poet, Ary learned early on to depend on writing above all else for catharsis. Starting with diaries, then her own poetry-- she poured her heart into words. However, it wasn't until her Sophomore year of high school that she thought she might have some talent. She won first place in a county wide poetry contest-- a contest she didn't even realize she entered (her English teacher did that for her).  After that, she set her sights on a future that would further her authorial voice.

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Graduating from CSUEB in 2013 with a BA in English/ Creative-Writing, Ary had dreams of continuing her education while working in publishing-- that is, until she was ready to write her own book. Sadly, family obligation and persistent money troubles kept her from the internships she needed. Instead, she was forced to turn to her prior experience in education-- working multiple jobs at once, all focused on individuals with special needs. The following year, she created a creative writing group for teens. The group was a huge success with over 100 sign-ups in the first day. Many of Ary's students showed significant improvement in their ELA grades, and a few went on to be published before graduating high school.

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Ary herself has been published in both local and international literary magazines for short fiction and poetry; but her heart lies in novels. She has found some personal success in the world of fan fiction, building a loyal readership that has accrued tens of thousands of hits across her body of work.

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Now, she is seeking publication on her first fully-original novel, LIFERS -- a story that seeks to answer life's most unanswerable question: What happens to us when we die?

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A metaphorically-autobiographical work, LIFERS reflects many of Ary's personal struggles. Most of the side characters are representative of those in her personal life, and her main character-- Quinn Mackenzie, is both herself now, as well as the person she wishes she had guiding her. LIFERS is a tale of loss and love and growth. It is a tale of empathy and friendship. Most of all, it's a tale for Ary, and no matter what happens with it, whether it's published or not, she is grateful it exists.