Donaya Haymond, legal name Faye Donaya Haymond, started her first YA urban fantasy novel in 2003, when she was thirteen. It eventually burgeoned into a lengthy series, known as Legends of Laconia, USA, several of which are now published by Eternal Press, with more to follow - she hopes. She also writes poetry, scripts, essays, blogs, and guilty-pleasure fanfiction, and recently a completed a standalone adult urban fantasy novel for which she is trying to find an agent. She makes pocket money as a ghostwriter and freelance editor, but is mostly occupied as a college student at the University of Mary Washington. If she never strikes it not-starving-artist, she plans to study public policy in grad school and make her living as a grant writer.  Her favorite authors are Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Anne Lamott, James Branch Cabell, and Jelaluddin Rumi as translated by Coleman Barks, though her reading is wide and varied, including graphic novels (Tintin, Watchmen, Sandman) and webcomics (xkcd, Dinosaur Comics, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal). One of the highest points in her life was when she received a $50 Clarion Write-A-Thon sponsorship from Neil Gaiman, who tweeted her a note of encouragement.  She is also an ardent fan of TV shows Doctor Who, Firefly, and Sherlock, and draws inspiration from music by The Decemberists, Amanda Palmer, Vienna Teng, Florence + The Machine, Owl City, Death Cab for Cutie, and REM, among others.  Her hobbies include fencing, crocheting, attempting to sell crafts on Etsy, singing, and haunting Tumblr and TV Tropes. She deals with Bipolar Disorder, but does not consider it "suffering" per se, at least not most of the time. She'd love to hear from you.  

- William Shakespeare Award, International School of Beijing, 2003
- Hoover Prize, George Mason High School, 2008
- Honorable Mention in Arena Stage's Young Playwrights 10-Minute Play Competition, 2008
- Youngest Eternal Press Author, ongoing
- Clarion Write-A-Thon Writer and Sponsor, 2011