About

Get to Know Me

Fantasy

Science Fiction

Horror

Contemporary YA

Sholm Pearly is an author with ADHD and a passion for fantasy. Hanging strongly to the belief there is nothing wrong in skipping pages, reading diagonally and peaking ahead, Sholm wants to write for all the people out there who love stories and want them served fast with all the twists and turns and dips that make the ride fun. Initially a screenplay writer, she is now onto a new challenge, the novel kind. Representation of the neurodivergent community holds a special place in her heart. She applauds the blooming of all the other writers in recent years managing to finally give a picture, some insight and voice to all the different ways of processing the world. There are many kinds of stories, and vastly more ways of enjoying them.

When did I start writing?

As long as I remember. At six years old, I already filled my father’s mathematician notebook with my uneven writing. Between working sessions, he could relax with the exciting adventures of Laika the space dog – which I had entirely fictionalised… I am afraid my efforts were only mildly appreciated.

Praise

“Pearly’s story stood out in intensity and horrific effects. It made me really think.”

Colleen Anderson, Editor for ChiZine

“Beautiful. Sholm Pearly captured the claustrophobic feeling of hopelessness. I’m so glad I can include her in my anthology.”

Kate Jonez, Bram Stoker Award nominated author

“I very much love Elegy for a Crow [by Sholm]. Such an exquisite tale.”

Nancy Kilpatrick, writer and winner of the Arthur Ellis Award

Why do I write?

While I loved books, my younger brother suffered from dyslexia. Reading was frustrating and after years of struggle, he seemed to give up. So I did the only thing I could think of, I wrote my first book, for him.

My brother’s interest piqued, adventure calling out from the pages, he pushed himself to get to the end, demanding more chapters each time, receiving them like a serial. Seeing how he forgot the obstacle each word represented, confirmed I totally wanted to be a writer.

I strive to bring people into the marvelous world of stories and discover new experiences and people both like them and unlike them, so as to think on questions they would not have necessarily asked themselves. I like to make the every day more extraordinary and show that the “other” might not be so different.