I'm Esther (E. R. Ware) a sixteen-year-old home educated Christian author, writer, and outdoor enthusiast, and this is my writing journey.

I started my first 'novel' when I was thirteen years old - a story about two girls who ran away to a national park to live in the wilderness. I had almost finished the first draft, one that was actually pretty decent for a inexperienced new teen who had never written more than short stories in her life, when I was writing one day and heard the Lord very clearly ask me 'Where am I?'

I realised my story, although I was proud of it, had no reference, no tangible experience of God through my words. The characters didn't foster a relationship with God, other than occasional sentences such as 'they went to church and sang together' or 'she prayed quickly before falling asleep'

It both shocked and irritated me - I felt unsure of what to do. In my heart I knew the Lord was asking me to start again, this time with Him as the axis that the plot revolved around.

I spent quite a few days almost in tears, wrestling with the Lord about the situation. I hated the idea of having to start again - particularly when I was so close to the finish line! Surely it was enough that I had SOME mention of God in the story - after all, no other books I'd read had particularly strong themes of faith.

But it wasn't long before the Lord made it VERY clear to me that I was to rewrite it.

As soon as I had a realisation that not rewriting the book when God had specifically asked me to, I began the rewrite.

I remember making a promise to the Lord the day I had my realisation, promising Him that every book I wrote in the future, was to revolve around the Lord.

I finished the book (I named it Forgiveness on a Distant Moor) it was good, and although I longed to publish it, I refused to edit it, hated the mushed up story line, and had no idea what on earth to do with it - other than maybe stash it in a bottom drawer somewhere to hopefully be forgotten! So that's what I did with it. I occasionally take it out the dusty drawer, but I'm not sure it's one I'll ever publish. Not because it's not good enough - it's got quite a lot of potential actually - but because that one was for learning. It was an opportunity for the Lord to teach me. It's very very close to my heart for that reason.

After that summer I went on a writing break. I focused on school, growing up, family, and time at my local house of prayer.

I began Beta Reading and continued keeping a extremely detailed diary, as well as continuously reading veraciously, devouring anything wholesome I could get my hands on. I wanted to write, but I didn't feel the particular desire to do so at the time. Looking back, I'm thrilled I took a break.

It wasn't until Summer 2025 at age fifteen when the Lord gave me a wake up call and inspired me to start writing again. Over my two year break, I'd been writing a lot of poetry, enabling the space to allow time for my writing to grow, whilst simultaneously improving it. On the 28th of July, whilst I was busy creating a poetry book (What is today 'At the Foot of the Cross') in obedience to a word from the Lord, He gave me the idea for a middle grade book that followed four girls as they competed in a adventure endurance challenge across the Scottish Highlands, and learnt how to trust God. I scribbled down the idea, wrote two chapters, and let it sit for a month.

In September, with my poetry book release date rapidly approaching, I decided to give myself until October to finish the book.

I started pushing myself, marvelling how my writing developed so quickly from chapter to chapter. It was hard, but I was thriving! On the 3rd October 2025, at 5am, I wrote the closing sentences. I was so, so proud of myself - but I knew it needed so much work. The first third of the book had a almost different storyline because the plot hat evolved as I wrote (there was no outlining done before hand!) The editing had always discouraged me, so I decided to set myself another deadline (I do very well under pressure if you can't tell!) I gave myself till Christmas to finish the first edit - which I actually finished on the 10th November. (The book was

I began submitting proposals to small publishing houses and received two offers of publication - I went with Broadplace Christian Publishing. At the same time I decided that it was going to become a trilogy, so I was busy writing the sequel. Alongside that project, the Lord gave me the idea for a standalone book called One Wanderlust Heart which I finished in less than a month. Alongside all of this, the Lord had given me a download for a Non-Fiction book about callings that I was busy editing!

I began sending the Beyond the Sunrise Mountain to beta readers as well as beginning the second edit.

Now, in March 2026 I've sent the manuscript to my editors, finished the first draft of the sequel, am querying for One Wanderlust Heart, and have a release date set for my non-fiction book on callings.

God is SO good, and I know this is just the beginning of the journey He's taking me on. Thank you for coming along for the ride.