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Meet Fellowship & Fairydust Founder Avellina Balestri

Meet Fellowship & Fairydust Founder Avellina Balestri

Last updated on: October 2, 2026 at 8:43 am by Mark Wilson

Meet Fellowship & Fairydust Founder Avellina Balestri 2026-10-02T08:43:45-05:00 Mark Wilson

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Avellina Balestri is one of the most unique, creative and wonderful voices on Catholic Social Media writing today. Who else could have articles posted at the rad trad site 1PeterFive and also at Patheos Catholic. She is both very traditional in her Catholic faith and yet very ecumenical in her approach to other faith traditions including non-Christians such as Muslims. She is super fun to talk and listen to. She has even started an online community of online writers called Fellowship and Fairydust. I thought she would never ger around to sending me an interview so I composed this blog post giving examples of her excellent writing.

The Fellowship & Fairydust Of Avellina Balestri |
A Look At The Writings Of Author Avellina Balestri

I am beginning to wonder now if the story of Robin Hood actually helped me make sense of the story of Jesus Christ, or indeed simply brought it more deeply into perspective for me. Because Robin, in a most inverse way, was still living out the Gospel by filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty and was laying down his life in the process.
Avellina Balestri, Growing Up with Disney’s “Robin Hood” (April 15, 2020) Longbows & Rosary Beads @ Patheos Catholic

And low and behold she finally sent me an interview. She even added a blurb about it before it was published.

“If not for my Catholic faith, not a sentence of my writing, not a word, would make sense to me. It is the breath of my mouth, the ink of my pen.” – My interview for “The Catholic Bard”

Which prompted this response from a friend of hers.

Are you advertising an interview that doesn’t exist? Please forgive me while I continue to harass my friend for running behind schedule. (Haha.)-Leah Fisher

This got Leah an invitation for an interview which is coming soon. These two would be fun to go out and have lunch with.

Let this remind all that it’s not too late to send your interview questions in to me.

So now without further ado it’s time to…

Meet Fellowship & Fairydust Founder Avellina Balestri

Tell something interesting about yourself.

I live on a farm in “Penn-Mar” (what we locals call the area that covers southern Pennsylvania and northern Maryland), about 20 minutes from the Gettysburg Battlefield by car. I grew up feeding and grooming a flock of sheep, and pretending to be Robin Hood in the woods and fields around our house, dressed in tights with a bow made with a bent stick and an elastic band. As a result of this type of play-acting, many of my first stories, scribbled in Dollar General journals with sparkly pens, involved the adventures of the Prince of Thieves.

What makes a good Catholic writer?

I think one who brings the love and remembrance of God into the storytelling process itself, and is able to make each and every story in some way a reflection upon the mystery of grace. This, to me, means calling to mind that human history, and the stories we tell, hinge upon the Incarnation, consummated at the Cross, and transfigured at the Resurrection. I think that, since the word “catholic” means universal, being a Catholic writer can also entail the call to show all manner of persons as being made in the image of God with an intrinsic dignity and eternal destiny. As someone who seeks to embrace a consistent pro-life ethic and ascribed to the theology of hopeful universalism, these themes undergird my writing.

What do you like about being a Catholic/Christian Writer?

It enables me to have a direct connection to environments in the past which were far more religious than our own, with signs of faith present in almost every aspect of society. This is particularly true in the context of my stories set in medieval western Christendom, but also applies when I explore the cultural landscape of Europe and America during the Long 18th Century, as well as the Islamic East during its formative era and into its Golden Age. My faith also gives me a sense of connection with the people of the past through my belief in the immortality of the soul, and inspires me to pray for them.

Icon depicting the Emperor Constantine and the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325) holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381

What is the main focus of your particular writing or what do you like to write about?

I am primarily a historical fiction writer these days, but I also write poetry, and have written a pretty diverse array of articles about religion, history, popular culture, current events, and beyond. As I mentioned above, my main areas of religious, cultural, and historical interest pertaining to Western Christendom and the Islamic East, spanning from the Dark Ages period to to the end of the Long 18th Century. I’ve also written a fair amount of fanfiction in my time, connected to different Sci-Fi/Fantasy universes (which, when done well, I consider to be an artform in its own right).

Early 14th century copy of the Samanid-period Tarikhnama of Bal’ami (10th century) depicting al-Saffah (r. 750–754) as he receives pledges of allegiance in Kufa

How does your Catholic Faith influence your writing?

If not for my Catholic faith, not a sentence of my writing, not a word, would make sense to me. It is the breath of my mouth, the ink of my pen. It gives me the will to push on when I feel empty inside, and offers me the grace to see every ounce of creativity I can muster as a gift from God, which I then give back to Him. Indeed, I always come back to a wonderful poem by Pope St. John Paul II (a great patron of Catholic artists) in order to summarize my sentiments: “I want to describe the Church, my Church, born in me, not dying in me, nor do I die with it, which always grows beyond me. The Church, the deepest point of my existence, and its peak; the root which I thrust into the past and the future alike.”

What’s your favorite work that you have written?

In terms of books, probably my most recent novel, Kingdom of Wolves, both because it is fresh in my mind and because of the drama it contains regarding the build-up to disaster doomed to befall General John Burgoyne’s march towards Albany during what would become known as the Saratoga Campaign of 1777. There is one scene in particular, the death of General Simon Fraser, which I consider to be among my best work. In terms of poetry, one of my favorites is called “Nothing Human,” tying together the executions of two historical figures (Major Andre and Lord Derwentwater) with the Passion of Christ. It begins, “Nothing human is a stranger to God on the tree in agony.”

7. What is your favorite topic/subject to write about?

It’s probably hard to say without connecting to a bunch of other topics because I would say I really have a sense of the connection to the concept of the trinity and trinarian mysticism. Which in turn is intrinsically connected to the notion of the incarnation God becoming Man. Which in turn is intrinsically connected to the passion and the resurrection. It can’t be taken apart. All those three things which mark out Christianity for what it is are indeed what I most enjoy reflecting upon. They mark us out as Christians and are the deepest facets of our faith. –Getting To Know Patheos Writers Part 2 Jun 30, 2020

8. Favorite scripture verse(s).

John 12:32: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.”

Luke 23:34: “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

Philippians 2:7: “He emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

9. What are you currently working on?

My main ongoing works are a Robin Hood retelling series called The Telling of the Beads and an American Revolution trilogy called All Ye That Pass By. I also have a screenplay on my projects-in-progress list, which I may adapt into novel form, set in 7th century Iraq and telling the story of Hussain Ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala called River of Milk. There are several other projects I have in mind as well, including a prequel to the AmRev series dealing primarily with General James Wolfe in the French and Indian War, and a loose sequel in the timeline, dealing with a 12-year-old Victorian Catholic girl who bonds against the odds with her Anglican grandfather who was a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars. Lastly, I have a folk horror idea exploring the folklore of the Covenanter tradition from the Scottish Lowlands pertaining to supernatural evil, set during the joint reign of William & Mary.

10. Name a favorite saint or Catholic or some other figure who inspires you in your life.

From among the Catholic martyrs of the British Isles, St. Edmund the Martyr (England’s first patron), St. Thomas More, St. Edmund Campion, St. Robert Southwell, St. Margaret Ward, St. Margaret Clitherow, St. John Southworth, St. Phillip Evans, St. David Lewis, and St. John Ogilvie (among many others). I also have a special love for Carmelites, including St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John of the Cross. In addition, I must list Julian of Norwich, who is one of my very favorite religious authors from the Christian tradition, and a new name I discovered from among the Puritans: John Janeway, whose biography, penned by his brother James, remains my favorite read this year. Among authors from other religious traditions, I also have a deep appreciation for Islamic Sufi mystics such as Jalaluddin Rumi and Rabia-al-Basri.

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity OCD

11. Who is your favorite Living Writer?

I’ll put down my bestie, Leah Fisher. Not only is she an awesome person, but also has a real commitment to the history that she explores in her writing that I deeply admire. We have had many conversations venting our exasperation over “self-styled experts” and their disastrous “hot takes,” and it’s a therapeutic balm to know there’s someone who cares as much about historical and literary integrity as I do. If anyone has any questions about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his family, and the German resistance during WWII, she’s your lady. The Angel Studios conglomerate can’t hold a candle to her labors of love!

12. If you could have lunch with any deceased writer who would it be, what would you eat and what would you talk about?

Carlol Houselander, who was a British Catholic author. Probably end up going to a British
British pub. Fish and Chips or something like that. That would be lovely and talk to her about Christian mystism. Hopefully somewhere in the English country side. That would be very interesting.

“Christ asks for a home in your soul, where he can be at rest with you, where he can talk easily to you, where you and he, alone together, can laugh and be silent and be delighted with one another.”
— Caryll Houselander (This War Is the Passion)
Patheos Catholics Favorite Deceased Writers Jul 2, 2020

13, What Movies/TV shows have inspired you in your writing?

A Man for All Seasons is my favorite film of all time, and has greatly influenced my stories, especially my trilogy All Ye That Pass By. Not only is it very faithful to the history it depicts, but it does a wonderful job balancing political intrigue with matters of the heart, culminating in a tragedy that is yet glorious. In terms of TV, the classic martial arts series Kung Fu has definitely had an impact on me, since it focuses on the concept of being on a pilgrimage through life and being “in the world but not of it” as we follow a bi-racial Buddhist monk from China who has been forced into exile in America’s Old West. Another series (of films in this case) that has influenced me is The Hunger Games quartet, particularly its depiction of severe PTSD and moments of humanity amidst the environment of dehumanization.

13. 2 Do you have any music artists you would like to share?

My top favorite is renowned Canadian artist Loreena McKennitt (favorite tracks: “The Dark Night of the Soul,” “The Highwayman,” “The Lady of Shalott”). Close behind her on my favorites list is Scottish artist Karliene (“Lament for Boromor,” “Sansa’s Hymn,” “The Rains of Castamere”). Another favorite is another Canadian, Heather Dale, (“Hero,” “Three Queens,” “Kingsword”). John Michael Talbot, meanwhile, has soothed my soul with his classics of Catholic contemplation (“Pass Through My Will,” “I Found My Beloved,” “Like a Deer”). Sami Yusuf, an Islamic artist, has also nourished my spirit (“I Only Knew Love,” “Lament,” “River of Milk”).

14. Books Made into TV or Movies?

Catholic Bard: It looks like any of her books could be made into a feature film as a lavish production.

15. Who are some of your favorite historical characters (not counting saints)?

I honestly have too many to count. One is certainly General James Wolfe, who I fondly call my “British spirit animal.” Likewise of French & Indian War fame, I fancy Lord George Augustus Howe. In the American Revolution sphere, I have a lot of redcoat favorites, including General John Burgoyne, General Simon Fraser, Major John Pitcairn, Major Patrick Ferguson, and Major John Andre. I also quite like Lord Brooke (English Civil War), Colonel James Gardiner and Lord Derwentwater (Jacobite Rebellions), and Lord Hill (Napoleonic Wars). As a monarchist, I must also list a few of my favorite royals: King Alfred the Great, King Richard I (the Lionheart), Edward the Black Prince, King Henry VI, King Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Queen Mary I, Queen Mary II, and King George III.

15th-century illustration of Edward as a Knight of the Garter

This interview was published on October 2, 2026

The day these other Historical Trivia events happened

1187– Saladin wins Jerusalem after the city surrendered to his forces following a prolonged siege.

Saladin in the sharbush hat of Seljuk rulers, his rallying sign, on a coin: “The Victorious King, Righteousness of the World and the Faith, Yusuf ibn Ayyub”. 587 AH (1190–1191 CE)

1766 – The Nottingham Cheese Riot breaks out at the Goose Fair in Nottingham, UK, in response to the excessive cost of cheese.

c. 1760 painting of a private of the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons, which participated in the riot’s suppression

1870 – By plebiscite, the citizens of the Papal States accept annexation by the Kingdom of Italy.

Barricades at Porta San Giovanni, photographed on 21 September 1870, after the breach of the Aurelian Walls

1967 – Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African-American justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Official portrait, 1976

16. What else do you want people to know about anything?

You can find my books in print and on Kindle via my Amazon store:

Amazon.com: Avellina Balestri: books, biography, latest update

My Goodreads page:

Avellina Balestri (Author of Saplings of Sherwood) | Goodreads

My author website address is:

Avellina Balestri – Official

My magazine website address is:

Fellowship & Fairydust – Inspiring Faith & Creativity and Exploring the Arts through a Spiritual Lens

My FB page: (1) Facebook

My Instagram page: (1) Instagram

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