Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, wearing a leather vest and turtleneck, displaying rings on her fingers and earrings. She is touching her hair and has an expressive look.

Photography by Jeff Hahne

Short Bio
A.L. Sterling (she/her) writes dark tales for bright minds. She is the author of Foresyth Conservatory, a dark academia gothic murder mystery set at an occult arts graduate school. An award-winning scientist, she holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and lives in Charlotte, NC with the ghosts of all her unfinished experiments. Follow her on Instagram @a.l.sterling.

Longer Bio
A.L. Sterling (she/her) writes dark tales for bright minds. She is an award-winning scientist turned self-proclaimed “word witch.” Her work blends gothic atmosphere, speculative mystery, and the aching longing of dark academia. She is the author of Indie Ink Award Finalist, Foresyth Conservatory.

Sterling wrote her first novel at thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. She earned a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from North Carolina State University, drafting Foresyth Conservatory between research papers and copious amounts of black coffee. She writes for readers who crave emotional depth, intellectual danger, and stories that echo long after the final page.

Sterling is a North Carolina Writers’ Network regional representative and lives in Charlotte, NC with the ghosts of all her unfinished experiments. Follow her on Instagram @a.l.sterling.

Business inquiries: alsterlingauthor@gmail.com