One with the Waves

When not writing, Vezna Andrews is either surfing with the dolphins, at the skate park with her son, or painting in her studio. An artist as well as an author, Vezna is especially proud to be a “soul surfer” mom sponsored by her local surf shop. She is excited to share her debut novel, One with the Waves, with readers. Vezna lives with her family in the South Bay of Los Angeles. You can visit her at VeznaAndrews.com.

“The novel soars to a literary sweet spot in its descriptions of surfing and Ellie’s blossoming identity as a surfer, at one with the ocean and its mysteries as each day becomes a limitless adventure. An enchanting coming-of-age story with a lyrical heart.”—Kirkus Reviews“A reflective 1980s-set exploration of loss, friendship, and family. . . . An ode to the healing power of surfing.”—Publishers Weekly“Truly charming and touching, One with the Waves is an exploration of family, friendship, and hope. A tale of life, the sea, and surfing, the novel captures how it felt being 16, surfing at the crack of dawn, getting on my bike with wet hair, and riding up the grueling hills to Mira Costa High School—then racing down the hills to catch the afternoon surf with friends. It brought back so many fun times and good memories, all the while jamming to an awesome playlist of ’80s music!”—Liz Benavidez, legendary surfing pioneer“Early ’80s California beach town culture had a very specific flavor, and One with the Waves captures it perfectly—the music, the characters, the lingo, the way it felt to stand on the beach staring out to sea. . . . Experiencing it all again through Ellie’s eyes is a trip down memory lane in a story that is equal parts heartache and heartening.”—Chris Shiflett, Foo Fighters guitarist and avid surfer“The ocean is powerful and healing. My dream is for everyone to get a chance to experience its blessings—like Ellie does in One with the Waves.”—Sara Kohrogi, pro surfer and star of Disney’s Chasing Waves“Andrews captures the true magic of the ocean and wave-riding to provide young people with a refuge from emotional distress, an avenue for building a spiritual connection to nature, and a place to feel their strength and affirm their belonging as they venture out into this wild world. Surfing makes sense when nothing else does.”—Captain Liz Clark, author of Swell: A Sailing Surfer's Voyage of Awakening