Discover the Next Generation of Christian Storytellers…
Featuring Sydney O’Rear
Sydney O’Rear grew up traveling the world and brings her excitement for exploring new places to her stories. With her parents in the Air Force, she’s no stranger to integrating into new spaces. She writes to encourage kids to find community on the other side of loneliness and have the courage to hope again.
When she’s not clacking away at her keyboard, she’s either wrangling kids as a nanny or sipping peppermint tea.
Find Her on the Web
Website: sydneyorear.com
Email List: sydneyorear.com/connect
Instagram: instagram.com/sydney.orear.author
About Her Short Story
Hello, Black Dog by Sydney O’Rear
In the wake of her grandmother’s death, Ella grapples with her grief. Her grandmother’s dog, Hank, comes to stay. But having Hank in their house is too painful for Ella because he’s a constant reminder of what she’s lost.
As Ella enters him in a contest to spread the word of Hank needing a new home, she slowly comes to realize that there are other ways to handle her grief other than hiding from it. But will she have the courage to fully embrace the memories—even if it’s painful?
Her Accomplishments
- Attended StoryCon in 2025 and received a request for her first five chapters.
- Attended Write to Publish conference in 2023 and received a full manuscript request.
- Has worked as an email marketing assistant for a professional author for two years, gaining extensive marketing experience.
- Won first place in a local writing contest in 2022.
- Published a nonfiction article through The Rebelution.
- Received and implemented a professional edit letter on her Middle Grade novel.
- Drafted and redrafted a 55k word story within a year and met her deadline.
Drafted three full-length novels.
Meet the 11 other authors in the anthology!
avery
heisey
johanna
anaya
abigail g.
smith
naomi
sowell
lillianna
joy
Hollis
wakefield
Ella
Webb
Sam
Matos
sydney
leeson
Anna
Galicinski
Cristiana
Moyer
Support the next generation of writers
100% of the proceeds from this anthology go toward helping up-and-coming writers attend writing conferences where they can pitch their work to agents and publishers.
About the Author Conservatory
Conservatory, noun: “A school specializing in one of the fine arts.”
The Author Conservatory is an online apprenticeship-modeled program that teaches students the writing & business skills they need to get published and support themselves financially. The Voices of the Future anthology features short stories from nine of our 2024 graduates.
