November 2024 | LISLE, IL—Keelia Clarkson, an actress, writer, and podcaster, has signed a two-book contract with InterVarsity Press (IVP) for the Avila Falls series, a classic fiction story of a big city girl returning home to a small town to find herself, faith, and love.
Clarkson describes this series as “The Devil Wears Prada and Gilmore Girls go to church and discover their identity.” She adds that Avila Falls is a contemporary love story with all the fun, romance, and charm of any of the most popular novels for women, but without the problematic content and confusing messaging so often present in today’s love stories.
“So often, the genre of romance is filled not only with oversexualized and problematic storylines but also stories that leave the readers with incomplete, untrue, and confusing messages about love, relationships, and romance,” Clarkson said. “My hope with this book is to offer an enchanting, exciting, engrossing story that offers the reader hope, redemption, and a vision of what true love can look like—without sacrificing enjoyment, fun, and romance.”
As an actress, Clarkson has appeared in popular TV shows like NBC’s New Amsterdam and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and beloved romantic indie films like Miracle on Highway 34. She is playing the lead in the faith-based romance/western Bright Sky. She has been published in multiple print and online outlets, including Magnify Collective, Radiant NYC, and Evie Magazine.
Clarkson is also the editor-in-chief of Wallflower Journal, which launched in January 2022 and has since reached hundreds of thousands of women. She leads a team of women writers covering topics of relationships, lifestyle, beauty, personal stories, and culture. She launched the Dear Wallflower podcast in September 2022 to thousands of young women listeners and receives up to 3k
downloads per month.
Clarkson lives between New York City, Los Angeles, and Colorado Springs with her husband, Nathan Clarkson, an award-winning actor, filmmaker, and best-selling author. She is the daughter-in-law of beloved speaker/podcaster and best-selling author Sally Clarkson
The first title in the Avila Falls series will release in Spring 2026. The acquiring agent is Cindy Bunch, associate publisher and director of editorial at IVP, and Clarkson is represented by Don Pape of Pape Commons.
Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
