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Emilyann’s Biography

Emilyann Allen - Young Adult Fantasy Books Author, Artist, and Business Innovator (Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix)
Emilyann Allen – Young Adult Fantasy Books Author and Artist

Emilyann Allen (pseudonyms include Emilyann Phoenix and Emilyann Girdner) is an American author, artist, and business innovator. In the literary world, she is best known as the creator of the Coloring Novels™ book format and the author of Amazon Best-SellerDante Rossetti Award Finalist and Reader’s Favorite 5 Star rated young adult fantasy novel, The Labyrinth Wall (Obsidian Series). Emilyann’s innovative fantasy books bridge fantasy and YA dystopian styles. Readers say the fantasy charm of Eragon meets the gritty flare of The Hunger Games in Emilyann’s Amazon Best-Selling Obsidian Series books which offer a surprising and fresh magical labyrinth adventure. 

Emilyann’s creative works and entrepreneurial ventures are a reflection of some of her favorite mottos, such as “keep imagining” and “live limitless.” Her writing and art have appeared across various publications and websites including Sound & Communications MagazineThe TV ShieldCenter for Work LifeEaster Seals Florida, MU Museum of Art & Archaeology’s Musings, Examiner.com, and more. She has been a guest at events with numerous organizations, some of which include Barnes & Noble storesWizard World Comic ConAltCon, and MegaCon Fan Days. Entertainment industry pros such as actor Sean Astin (from Lord of the Rings, Rudy, 50 First Dates, and more) and author Crystal Collier (Maiden of Time Trilogy) are talking about Emilyann’s work. KCFV 89.5City Surfing OrlandoMiami.comOrlando WeeklyStreet InsiderTallahassee DemocratTallahassee Magazine, and WorldNews are some of the media outlets that have mentioned Emilyann.

Emilyann was born in Germany and raised in Turkey until the age of five when she moved to Tallahassee, Florida. She spent the first part of her college career studying Creative Writing. Emilyann also studied Graphic Design at Stephens College which included entrepreneurial and marketing training. She eventually graduated with a BFA in Digital Art and a minor in Art History (Missouri State University).

Emilyann's Author Adventures

Discover Coloring Novels™

KCFV News Interview

Charities

Looking for ways to volunteer or organizations to support? Below is a list of organizations and movements Emilyann recommends checking out. 

Emilyann’s Press & Media Kit

This page is for the media, booksellers, or anyone looking for Emilyann Girdner’s press information in a quick  format! Feel free to browse, look around and print what you need. If you don’t find what you’re looking for on this page, contact info@luminouswordspress.com, thank you.

Press, Literary, Academic & Other Mentions:

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.emilyannallen.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoremilyannallen/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyanngirdner

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilyanngirdner

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/emilyanngirdner/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyanng

Latest Tweets:

Emilyann’s Press Photos & Videos:

 * These media resources may be used by the press or in any context of promoting the author or her works. If you’re not sure about usage, contact pr(at)thelabyrinthwall.com. Photo credits are stated below the appropriate images.
 
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Self-Portrait: Emilyann Allen
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Self-Portrait: Emilyann Allen
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, Quotes

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen Emilyann Girdner Emilyann Phoenix Fantasy Books The Labyrinth Wall Author

Emilyann Allen

Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen, Emilyann Girdner, Emilyann Phoenix, Fantasy Author - The Labyrinth Wall, Obsidian Series Books, Coloring Novels, TV Interview UpLiftTV

Emilyann Allen and Tony LeBron

TV Interview – Photo Credit: LifeEquip
Emilyann Allen, Girdner, Phoenix, Fantasy Books Author Book Signing Coloring Novels Barnes & Noble Special Guest

Emilyann Allen

Barnes & Noble, Altamonte Springs, Photo Credit: OCD
Emilyann Allen, Girdner, Phoenix, Fantasy Books Author Book Signing Coloring Novels Barnes & Noble Special Guest

Emilyann Allen

Barnes & Noble, Altamonte Springs, Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen, Girdner, Phoenix, Fantasy Books Author Book Signing Coloring Novels Police Box Dr Who
Creative Con, Panama City – Photo Credit: Laina Mari Productions
Emilyann Allen Emilyann Girdner Emilyann Phoenix Fantasy Books The Labyrinth Wall Author Special Guest Alt Con Tallahassee Convention

Emilyann Allen

ALTCon, Tallahassee
Special Guest Appearance
Emilyann Allen Emilyann Girdner Emilyann Phoenix Fantasy Books The Labyrinth Wall Author Special Guest Wizard World Convention Genese Davis Author Speaking Panel

Emilyann Allen

Wizard World Comic Con, Ft. Lauderdale
“The Creativity Engine: Where Does the Power Come From?” Panel
Genese Davis, Emilyann Allen and J.J. Sedelmaier
Photo Credit: Luminous Words Press
Emilyann Allen Emilyann Girdner Emilyann Phoenix Fantasy Books The Labyrinth Wall Author Alt Con Tallahassee Comic Con Special Guest Speaking Panel Event

Emilyann Allen

ALTCon, Tallahassee
The Cheshire Cat & the War Against Reality Panel

A Sample Interview Q&A with Emilyann Allen:

 
Jo Rowling was inspired on a train to write Harry Potter and Stephanie Myers had a dream that started the Twilight series. How did The Labyrinth Wall come about?

Ever since I saw the movie Labyrinth as a child, I’ve been fascinated with labyrinths. What a playground for imagination? Anything could be lurking around the corner. So I’ve always been interested in writing in the setting of a labyrinth. But then I thought, “What if an entire civilization was living in a labyrinth… and they didn’t know anything different? What if I wrote a story from the perspective of a girl within a labyrinth culture?”

I began to think about the characters in this world and thought, “What if I explore a character that never had a childhood because they are actually a creation? So as a writer I am forced into a very strange perspective of someone learning to understand themselves and others for the first time?” And of course, where better to explore all of this than in a labyrinth, a place that holds so much mystery and possibility?

And writing the book was pretty exciting too! The Labyrinth Wall was written during my brief time living in a semi-truck and traveling the country. It was an adventure!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I get this question a lot (or inquiries along this line). It’s more like people say to me, “I saw how you were getting at issues of repression” or they mention freedom, and companionship. It’s funny because I don’t want to be a preachy person by any means, so I wouldn’t say I’m writing messages that I want people to grasp. I’d more describe my writing as my own process of working through life’s struggles. If my journey of internalizing and learning through writing does grasp readers and mean something to them as well, that’s wonderful. And that is something I hear from people who have read The Labyrinth Wall, which is a great blessing.

Who is your favorite author? Who inspired you to write?

There are so many I love! But if I have to narrow it down, I’d say Terry Brooks is my favorite author. The Elf Queen of Shannara has been my favorite book since I first read it in eighth grade, which is also about the time my love of writing truly began taking hold. I loved writing since I was little, but that’s when I really started doing it more in my free time. Over the years many others and encouraging people like family and teachers have inspired me to write. I’d also say that stylistically I picked up some influence from Suzanne Collins for the Obsidian Series.

Do you have any writing-related rituals or quirks?

I stop sleeping when I’m writing. I become so invested in a project when I’m writing that I hardly sleep at night because I’m busy writing and I walk around day dreaming the story during the day. I suppose I’m pretty immersed when I get in the zone.

 
 

Additional The Labyrinth Wall Products
The Labyrinth Wall Printable Flyer



© Emilyann Allen. Information and photos on this page are free for use to the press and media, as long as the proper credit is given to the photographers, if a photo credit is listed. Third party logos are the property of their respective owners. Emilyann and Luminous Words Press are not claiming official affiliation or endorsement of any organizations or people mentioned on this website. In addition, please note that you are welcome to mention sources that are associated with the author on this page, but with the exception of the free to use Q&A at the bottom of this page please do not copy and re-use interviews or verbiage from the sources mentioned on this page. Please contact us if you have questions about this.