A Storyteller's Arc

An interview with author, actress, and editor-in-chief Keelia Clarkson

Wonderful readers,

If you have been with me for some time, you know when I relaunched with Letters and Literature last year, one of my goals was to eventually bring authors directly into our conversation. The craziness of life prompted me to put it on the back burner temporarily, but I am excited to announce that today we begin a new regular component of this space: author interviews!

I couldn’t be more honored to promote my fellow writers here and simultaneously point readers to their work. I also couldn’t be more thrilled to start the venture with author Keelia Clarkson.

Keelia Clarkson is an award-nominated actress and writer originally from Los Angeles, California. As an actress, she has appeared in hit indie films such as Miracle on Highway 34 and on popular TV shows such as New Amsterdam (NBC). She is the Editor-in-Chief and founder of Wallflower Journal, an online magazine for the woman with a deep inner world, and her writing on relationships, art, media, and culture has been seen across multiple online and print platforms by millions of readers. Her debut novel, Avila Falls, tells the story of a city-dwelling woman who must return to her small hometown, where she finds herself, faith, and love, and is set to release in 2026. She lives in between the bustling streets of New York City and grand mountains of Colorado with her husband, Nathan.

---

Thanks so much for being here, Keelia!

Before we dive into your path to fiction writing, I’d love to chat about some of your other endeavors. Let’s start with Wallflower Journal, your online magazine. I’ve had the privilege of writing for you, and I absolutely love the publication! For readers who are unfamiliar, can you share more about Wallflower and tell us the impetus behind starting it?

Thank you for inviting me! I first began to conceptualize Wallflower Journal during the pandemic; not only did I feel the despair that many others felt at that time, but I began to notice just how unhealthy we as a society had become — even before the pandemic. Loneliness and hopelessness were on the rise; wisdom was hard to come by; bad, destructive advice reigned supreme. I yearned for a place that encouraged women to grow and offered advice grounded in truth and wisdom, but also a place that was simply beautiful, inspiring, and uplifting.

I decided to create Wallflower, which I called “a place for the woman with a deep inner world.” Soon enough, I had writers submitting articles that beautifully captured Wallflower’s mission and a growing base of faithful readers — two things I’m still surprised by, but couldn’t be more glad for.

As Editor-in-Chief, what have been the biggest blessings and/or biggest challenges in managing an online magazine?

Without a doubt, the biggest blessings have been to meet women from across the country (and globe!) who identify with the vision of Wallflower and want to contribute their unique voice to it — of which you are one, Tiffany! I had no idea what to expect when I began it, or if I would even receive a single article submission. But it’s been so rewarding to e-meet dozens of women who share the same desire of creating an online space that’s beautiful and deep.

Another incredible blessing I have seen is the women who have been reached by these articles; the messages and emails I receive expressing delight and appreciation for Wallflower and its articles are always so gratifying.

The most difficult part of running an online magazine over the past few years is probably the fact that putting myself out there is so opposite of my personality. I’m deeply introverted. Attention can easily overwhelm me. And so, doing something online that requires that I lead and rally and be the “face” has been an area that I’ve had to grow in since beginning Wallflower. In the years since launching it, though, I’ve come to realize just how valuable these skills are.

Oh my, do I relate. Putting myself in the public realm as a writer has been one faith hurdle after another. It’s such a humbling and vulnerable act. Thank you for being willing. Wallflower Journal is a tremendous gift.

Tell us a little about your acting journey and your latest project, Bright Sky.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to act. Acting is very much my first love — yes, despite being introverted! After all, it isn’t me that everyone is looking at; it’s the character. I grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by people in the industry, in some capacity or another. So, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I caught the acting bug.

I started taking acting classes at thirteen, and while my journey has taken many a twist and turn since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to land a few roles over the years — a lead role in an indie film with an Academy Award-winning producer, and smaller roles on shows like NBC’s New Amsterdam, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. A few years ago, I wrote, directed, and produced my own feature film, Leading Lady.

Most recently, as you mentioned, I starred in a romance western film across my husband, Nathan, called Bright Sky. It tells the tale of a single mother with a dark past and an outlaw yearning for a fresh start, and how their paths intersect, and was actually written by my immensely talented husband. I love any opportunity to act, but Bright Sky and its message — that no one is beyond redemption — holds a special place in my heart and I feel lucky to have been part of bringing that story to the screen alongside so many incredible actors and our wonderful crew. It’s now streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and other platforms.

On the set of Bright Sky

Amid these varied hats you already wear, you’ve also added author to the mix! I’d love to hear what brought you to writing fiction, and please tell us about your book, Avila Falls, which will be out with Intervarsity Press in early 2026.

I’ve written skits, short stories, plays, and screenplays over the years, but before Avila Falls, I hadn’t attempted to write a novel. And funnily enough, the story wasn’t initially intended to be one. I first started to conceptualize it as a screenplay; it was going to be a feature film that took place in a single location, a bookstore. But eventually, I started feeling like there was much more story that I wanted to write — but it would be too expensive to make it into a feature.

I didn’t know what to do with my half-written screenplay, and I’d been wondering in the back of my mind if I should turn it into a novel; the possibilities for the story I could tell that way were limitless, and I’d pondered over the years whether fiction might be a good fit for my introverted self. When my husband one day said, “What if you write it as a novel instead?” I took it as a sign that my instincts were correct and dove in.

What I found was a love I didn’t know I had. Writing a novel unlocked this creativity, a side of myself that was so immersed in bringing a story to life that I could get lost in it for hours. The joy and satisfaction I felt as I crafted each chapter and searched for exactly the right words — I had only ever felt those things before when performing a scene, inhabiting a character and their world. It just felt right.

Avila Falls tells the tale of Jane, a city-dwelling woman who works as a ghostwriter but dreams of writing her own novel. When she returns to her tiny hometown, Avila Falls, a Colorado mountain town, she is confronted with a few things: her uncertain future as a writer, the faith in God she had abandoned years ago, and her high school crush on former It Guy, Noah Elliot, whom she never really got over.

After a night spent accidentally locked in the local bookstore with him, Jane begins to reexamine her life. With an unapologetically bookish protagonist, Stars Hollow-esque small town charm, a cast of colorful characters, and an endearing love story, I hope it will earn a space on readers’ bookshelves. It’s still a while until the book is out, but I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.

I had a similar path to fiction. When I went back to school a few years ago, I thought I wanted to become an editor. Writing fiction took me by surprise—I completely understand the hours upon hours of being swept into creating a story. Such joy.

I’d love to hear more about the faith element in your novel.

Many of the questions explored in the novel are ones I’ve wrestled with in my own life. Avila Falls centers around a few themes: chasing dreams, purpose, and love, of course. But one ingredient that was important to me to incorporate was faith.

In my own story, faith is a thread that was added a little bit later, and yet it became the thread that held the entire tapestry of my life together. Writing a novel without having that thread present in some manner would have made it difficult to tell a tale I felt was totally true. And so, over the course of the novel, we see Jane’s perception of God morph and grow with each new experience and challenge she faces. We watch her wrestle with Him.

My desire with Avila Falls was to write a story that was relatable and heartening, but also offered an over-arching sense of hope and purpose for readers, who were each created uniquely and intentionally. I wanted those who read Jane’s story to reflect on their own lives, and to ponder whether they hold some of the same misbeliefs that have been holding her back.

Avila Falls sounds wonderful. I can’t wait for its release!

Has your acting background helped you tell stories as a writer? Conversely, how has writing challenged you as a storyteller?

One of the things I reveled in most when I studied acting was understanding the inner world of a character. I loved knowing what was going on inside, underneath their dialogue and their actions. While there have often been qualities that I can relate to in the characters I’ve portrayed, there have always been far more that were unlike me. And in order to play them truthfully, I would have to find a way to understand them. In that sense, because I had become skilled at picking apart and creating a character’s inner workings through scene study, it felt natural for me to paint Jane’s interior world and inner monologue through words on a page.

Lest you believe that writing a novel was a walk in the park for me, it wasn’t! There were challenges and obstacles to overcome along the way. One of them being letting go of my perfectionism and the need to have control over what others think of me.

Writing a novel can be a humbling process in that you’re laying yourself out wholly and completely — your words, your thoughts, your creation. In that way, I found it to be even more exposing than even the most emotional acting scene. Because everything on the page was me. And so, the thought of letting just anyone read those pages was frightening at first, like they were reading my diary.

Another interesting challenge that came up was having to do the work of identifying and understanding every character in the story, not just one; having to be familiar with their desires, having to know what they would say. This was a fun challenge to get to know characters that I wouldn’t ever be cast as.

As a former actress, I concur. I think many people would be surprised to hear that writing is more vulnerable than acting, but I agree with this a hundred percent. It’s a far more daunting venture.

Lastly, do you have a favorite author, book, or even a book recommendation from a recent read?

It’s so hard to pick just one! There are many books that have earned a special place on my shelves, but one author that always comes to mind when I’m asked this question is Agatha Christie. I absolutely love mysteries in general, but Christie is the master of crafting a slippery tale that you end up staying far past your bedtime to read.

I’m especially partial to her Poirot mysteries — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd probably being my favorite. I admire Christie’s ability to weave such intricate storylines that seemingly make no sense to begin with, but also her deep understanding of human psychology and desire, and her undeniable wit.

Great choice. Poirot is one of our greatest literary characters!

Keelia, thank you kindly for being here. I look forward to seeing Avila Falls in print and continuing to read the wonderful content at Wallflower Journal.

---

Friends, you can find Keelia on Instagram and IMDb, and do find your way to Wallflower Journal through the website or on Instagram. It’s truly a lovely space. I know you will find beauty and encouragement there.

Until next time,

Tiffany