About - Yvonne McArthur

Hi, I’m Yvonne McArthur, a writer, word-lover, and adventurer.

I grew up in the highlands of Guatemala where I off-set my book worminess by tramping up volcanoes, swimming in caldera lakes, and eating a LOT of mangoes. I studied creative writing at Houghton College in the boonies of New York State and, after a bit of soul-searching, traveling, and tromping through piles of slushy snow, chose to return to Guatemala, the land of eternal spring.

When not at my day job or my standing desk, I go for walks with Lily, my canine sidekick, ride my motorcycle (code name Mo), or muck around in the kitchen, the garden, or my amateur pottery studio.

Do you love connecting with others over your favorite books, stories, plot lines, and characters? If so, I’d love to have you join me on my YA Fantasy Enthusiasts Facebook page. It’s a fun, inviting place to share what you’re reading, geek out over your favorite authors and books, read short stories, share book reviews, gain access to book-related freebies, and more—all curated by yours truly.

The novel-writing dream

Ever since I was a kid with dorky bangs and a propensity to read books in cypress trees, I’ve dreamed of writing a novel. When I was 23, I decided to give it my first honest go. At the end of 30 days, I had written a 50,000-word manuscript a la Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). The story had no plot, no antagonist, random cows, ferret smugglers, and a toga-wearing ghost who’d faked his own death. The main character landed himself in prison for accidentally trafficking in Godiva chocolate.

Let’s just say this: the only place to go from there was up.

Learning how to structure a novel, how to write good dialogue, how and when to reveal which elements of the story, and how to write in a way that communicates clearly has turned out to be a lot more complicated than I expected. But I’ve stuck with it for an embarrassing number of years now, and I don’t plan on quitting any time soon. I’ve had a bout with carpal tunnel, agonized over plot holes, feared failure, feared success, and in short, developed a rebellious refusal to surrender.

Freelance Writing & Editing

I’m a freelance writer and developmental editor and love both jobs. I get to read and write and help other people take their books to the next level. What could be better? You can learn more on my services page.

My Published Work Can Be Found In:

These Ties We Forge

There are children in need in every part of the world and in every fictitious realm-from newborns to teens.

In These Ties We Forge, multiple authors come together to bring you stories and poems about resilience, love, and the power of making connections even in the midst of loneliness and detachment.
An elf with a unique oddity cowers in an orphanage, losing hope of ever finding a forever family. Time travel takes a father to the past in order to right his wrongs with his daughter. A young girl collects flowers from each home and person who comes into her life.

What’s in it of mine: Prayer for Foster Parents of an Emotionally Closed and Hurting Child.

– A liturgical prayer inspired by my brief but impactful stint as a foster mom.

Cool thing about it: Profits will support a children’s home in South Africa.

Go to Amazon Page

Tales From the Forest

We all know the story of the little girl in a red cloak and hood, going through the forest to visit her grandmother, who meets up with a wolf.

These twelve stories take the familiar and twist it around, inside out and upside down. You’ll laugh, you’ll shiver, you’ll boo and cheer — maybe both at the same time.
Settle in and hold on tight, because these definitely aren’t your granny’s fairytales…

What’s in it of mine: A Cactus Among Wolves

Prickly Grandma Brumby’s idyllic motorcycle ride with her grandkids turns into an encounter with her arch nemesis: an elderly, succulent aficionado named Terence Cooper.
As if his gifts of cacti weren’t aggravating enough, he’s threatening the future of her beloved Society of Badass Grandmas. He’s even gone so far as to loose a reporter on her—which might expose a truth she’s determined to keep buried.

Go to Amazon Page

Digital Published Works

GoHavok Flash Fiction Contest—Fantasy Friday: Aniyé’s Breath

I’m Featured in…

Everyday Creators

Discovery, Study, and Lots of Rewriting: Fiction Writing with Yvonne McArthur

Ye Olde Dragon’s Library Storytelling Podcast

Storytellers Episode – Chatting with authors of stories in the Ye Olde Dragon Books anthologies