Meet Lavay Byrd

Official Bio (Short Version)

Lavay Byrd is an independent author of inspirational fantasy, including her “radically equine” children’s series “Light Horse Dark Horse”. Born and raised in Germany, she has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, influenced by her lifelong passion for horses. From a 9th grade English extra-credit project inspired by a Christian equine allegory, Lavay composed her debut book, The Miraculous Birth, the first book of “Light Horse Dark Horse” at the tender age of 14 in 2010. In 2013, a NaNoWriMo project of more than 50,000 words led her to the unexpected creation of her new series for teens and young adults, “The Aethon Chronicles”.

Today, she lives in Newnan, Georgia with her family and two cats, Leo and Lilly.

How I came to write (Long Version)

I was born and raised in Germany in 1991 with three siblings until my family moved back to the United States in 2008. For as long as I can remember, I had always had a passion for horses, but I believe my greatest love is to write stories.

When I was little, I would re-tell some of my favorite Bible stories through illustrations and share them with my family and young children. As I grew older, my God-given gift of storytelling blossomed as I penned my own stories, often featuring horses or "horse-like" characters that would pop up in my imagination.

In 2010, a 9th grade English extra-credit project led me to the creation of my first book ever to be published: The Miraculous Birth, the first of my children's fantasy series "Light Horse Dark Horse". And I have been writing ever since.

When I'm not writing, I work at my dream job as a library assistant. I also enjoy horseback riding (western ), chocolate, walks around nature, cowgirl boots, dressing up as an elf maiden, movies, and, of course, reading fantasy fiction. I'm even holding on to my life-long dream that God will one day bless me with my very own horse.

My Favorite Reads (so far!)

Ever since I began my journey as an indie author, fantasy has had a special place in my heart. In its purest form, this genre (like Sci-Fi) allows the imagination to soar beyond what’s “normal”. To explore new worlds… and meet different races and characters. And to be inspired.

Of course, like any other genre, fantasy does have its dark elements. What breaks my heart is that most fantasy books I’ve been seeing, especially in the young adult genre, feature more “erotic romances” than graphic violence (i.e. Court of Thorn and Roses, and Twilight).

But there’s always hope. There are fantasy books out there that truly spark imagination, inspire wonder, and amplify light. It was these types of books that inspired my own writing journey.

Because it’s so hard to pick just one, I’ll share my top 10 favorites! Click on a cover to learn more!

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