Zaria

Zaria Garrison was born and raised in Greenville County, SC. Zaria found a love for reading and writing at an early age, however God had other plans. A gifted soprano who many have described as having an anointed voice Zaria’s focus turned from writing to music. She sang with her high school chorus and was often a featured soloist with her... more »

Zaria Garrison was born and raised in Greenville County, SC. Zaria found a love for reading and writing at an early age, however God had other plans. A gifted soprano who many have described as having an anointed voice Zaria’s focus turned from writing to music. She sang with her high school chorus and was often a featured soloist with her church choir. During her high school career she received numerous musical accolades and was awarded a music scholarship to college. She attended South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC where she majored in music education. Following college Zaria settled into everyday life continuing to sing with numerous gospel groups and being an active and devoted member of her church choir.

She still felt the call to write and in 1999 she penned a gospel musical stage play Angels watching over me that her church choir group performed. Zaria began to write daily and penned several short stories and poems. In 2005 her first novel Baring it All was published by Publish America under her birth name Gena L. Garrison. It received rave reviews and she was awarded the best new author award of 2005 by Mahogany Media. She felt her writing career was off to an amazing start.

But again, God had other plans. As she continued writing she felt she could no longer write stories that involved explicit sex and violence. She could only write what God told her to write. God gave her stories of everyday people who have faults, struggles, and sometimes pain but they continue to trust in God to get them through. With God’s guidance a new author was born. Following her transformation as he did with Saul, God gave her a new name Zaria, which means new beginnings.

Prodigal a story of twin sisters with an identical love for the same is her first Christian fiction novel. It will be released by Urban Christian publishing in November 2009.

Zaria remains active in her local church and continues to be a featured soloist in her church choir. She also serves as the church webmaster designing and updating the church website. As she continues to write the stories that God lays on her heart she spends her free time with her son and their pet Pekingese in their home in Greer, SC « less