ARI AUGUSTINE spent the earliest years of her childhood running barefoot through the lush, haunted pine forests behind her mamaw’s home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There, in a sacred cathedral of nature, she recited poetry to ghosts and gods, told wild stories to the trees and flowers, and hunted for supernatural creatures, aliens, and magic. Her findings are, of course, classified.

Back then, she was an indecisive gremlin ruled by a thousand desires. She wanted to be a singer, paleontologist, actress, geologist, historian, and even a xenoepidemiologist for NASA. Anything and everything except a writer. It wasn’t until her teen years in foster care that she penned her first stories: confessional poems, nightmarish horror vignettes, and portal fantasies. Most of her earliest works have been lost to time, but writing remained a vital part of her soul and her steadfast love in this life.

Ari is now the author of science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories, some with the occasional spice of slow burn romance.

Her current projects include GODFLOWER [an adult contemporary fantasy steeped in Japanese lore] and THE EVERLIGHT PROTOCOL [a serialized space fantasy in the vein of intergalactic Attack On Titan with Witcher vibes]. She is also writing GHOST MOON [a xianxia-inspired RPG game script).

Described by readers as lyrical, nostalgic, and visceral, her stories feature immersive worlds and relatable characters, delving into the intricacies of the human condition that weaves and unravels us. She also loves to explore favorite story tropes like friends to lovers, derelict spaceships, urban nightlife, biotech, Japanese lore, mutation magic, dystopian societies, and parallel worlds. Readers can gain early and exclusive access to these story chapters by joining the Root Abyss Membership.

When not writing, she enjoys video gaming, crime documentaries, traveling the world, and conspiring with the neighborhood stray cats. She got her B.A. in Literature and Language from the University of Washington, where she specialized in creative writing and the SFF genres. Ari lives in the wilds of Eastern Tennessee with her husband and their two mischief-making kitties, Mori-kun and Little Fury.

Though Ari often vanishes from the human realm without warning, you can summon her on Instagram or by sneaking a note via the contact form.