About
Writing
Devyn A Baldus (she/her) is a first-time self-published author, a world traveler, and an engineer. She was born and raised in the Bay Area, California, and now attends university in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s been in love with stories since before she could walk and has been trying her hand at authorship sine she could hold a pen.
Luckily I haven't been publishing that long since my first poem was an ode to a vacuum cleaner.
Her first published book is a poetry collection, The Ramblings of a Dreamer (2022). However, most of the poems included date back to 2016-17, which was the first year she started seriously considering writing a book. Since then, she's written hundreds of poems in numerous different styles and is planning three more books to follow in The Ramblings series.
In 2022, Devyn is excited to begin writing her first novel, though her attention this year goes primarily to her poetry and to graduating college.
Through her writing, Devyn aims to be an advocate for young voices and for the LGBTQ+ community. Her writings are inspired by her own life, her travels, and the thousands of other authors and artist who have inspired her.
Travel
When Devyn was 19, she started her goal of traveling the world. In the middle of COVID-19 she moved to Galway, Ireland to study Engineering abroad at the National University of Ireland, Galway. In her first two weeks, she was quarantined in isolation. To fill her time, she began assembling her first book, The Ramblings of a Dreamer.
In Galway, she met some of the most amazing people who quickly became lifelong friends. They introduced her to the wonderful life of ciders, Irish cussing, and scran (as well as lots of great quotes).
Seriously, you guys are amazing and more inspirational than you know.
Devyn's time abroad, though mostly quarantined to Galway, encouraged her to continue traveling and push herself out of her comfort zone.
That Summer of 2021, Devyn traveled to Scotland for the first time, going to stay in the Orkney Islands off the Northern coast. The islands are well-known for their historical sites and archaeological digs.
Devyn studied up on the history and met more amazing people, inspiring her to visit such sites as the Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, the Old Man of Hoy, and the Cliffs of Birsay. These stories and the striking scenery inspired many of her naturalist poems - most of which will be published in books to come.
In August 2021, Devyn stopped in Edinburgh - home to The Writers' Museum - on her way home. She read and learned about famous Scottish writers who paved the way to the success of modern poetry.
Devyn also explored the beautiful sites and stories of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Edinburgh vaults, and the Dean Village.
Devyn continues to travel and explore as much as she can under circumstances of safety and global respect. Her writings and art continue to grow with her expanding knowledge of the world and all of the wonderful people and places in it.
Photography
As well as writing, Devyn has always held a creative interest in photography. She began in high school, taking photography classes and rediscovering her hometown through the lens of a camera. She originally learned by using a film camera and personally printing and processing her photos. Now, she uses whatever lens she can find, and her camera focuses on more natural landscape subjects captured on her hikes and travels. Though she doesn't devote as much time to photography as to writing, she may consider publishing some of her work in the future - perhaps alongside her poems.
