K. A. Excell
Author; Sister of Autism; Martial Artist; Cowgirl
Writer’s bio
I grew up with a large family on an all American ranch in the western United States, running cattle, riding horses, and wrangling goats. Unfortunately for my family, I would much rather have been sitting in the dusty old pickup truck with a book in hand than on top of a horse. I snuck off every chance I got, into worlds painted by authors like Brandon Mull, Mercedes Lackey, and Louis McMaster Bujold. When I wasn’t hiding from the real world by reading, I was fashioning sticks into swords and picking up large, smooth stones in the hopes that they would soon hatch into my very own dragonling.
Time passed, and I realized that I wasn’t going to get a baby dragon from hoarding fist-sized rocks. I was going to have to come up with a much more devious plan. I picked up a giant sized journal with blue and green polka dots (the thing was almost as tall as I was), found my mother’s favorite pen, and locked myself in my room. When I emerged, I had written my very first story. After all, everyone says that the best way to make your dreams come true is to write them down on paper.
While my story about how I found a baby dragon hasn’t come true (yet), I found something far better. A passion for writing.
I've often been asked why I would ever want to spend hours locked in my room with a laptop, typing furiously in the hopes of creating something that could one day be called a book. Well, here's the answer:
I write because I’m in love with possibilities. I want to explore what happens when the everyday things we take for granted suddenly change. Not only that, I want to follow the people society has left in the shadows; the invisible people. What happens when the war they are fighting suddenly becomes the most important war humanity has ever known? As I explore these possibilities, I find entertaining stories, drama, and action that all weave together to form a narrative I want to share with the world. Crystal Mind isn’t just a story about a teenager struggling to find her place in society. It’s an examination of one way the world looks through neurodivergent eyes.
Farm fun with my brother
My wonderful family
W hy write about neurodivergence?
I love the topic of neurodiversity because I was practically born for it. All four of my siblings are on the Autism Spectrum. That means sometimes they can have a hard time understanding, interpreting, and communicating with the world around them. They are all so brilliant at some things, and fall short in other places—and none of them think the same way. There is such a diversity of minds in my family; it’s absolutely wonderful!
Growing up, I always wanted to read books about neurodivergent characters, but there aren't very many out there. Now, with the world of the Projector War Saga, there are a few more.