H.A. Stories

Biography

Everything started in 5th grade when Hallie Balogh and Auttie Grace first met. They quickly became known for always being together. You never only saw one of them. That 5th grade school year didn’t only spark their friendship, but it set the foundation of the Auttie and Hallie writing power duo. From 5th grade and all through middle school, they spent their lunches, free time, and every chance in between writing stories together. Once Covid-19 hit, they took it as an advantage to write their first novel, “Empire: To Earth and Back.” Honestly, it started as a joke, but here they are, two teenagers with a published YA sci-fi adventure novel and many more to come. As young teenage girls, they want to inspire others that no dream is “too big” when you’re passionate about something.

Fun Facts

Hobbies

Hallie is learning to code, Auttie calls her a nerd. Auttie likes taking care of small children, Hallie does not. Hallie likes archery, Auttie would accidentally shoot herself in the foot. Auttie likes motorbikes, Hallie would most likely fall off of the motorbike...our list of opposites goes on.

Most Exotic Place Visited

Does Walmart count?

Pet Peeve

Let's not go down THAT rabbit hole...

Number of Published Books

Only one so far. The second installment in the series is coming soon though!

Book that Changed Your Life

One of us (Hallie) has always been a MAJOR bibliophile while the other (Auttie) didn't start getting into reading after we wrote our first novel together. So if we had to choose one book that changed both of our lives, we'd have to say our first novel, "Empire: To Earth and Back."

Favorite Place to Write

We love the feel of writing in little cafes, basic, but so satisfying. We can pretty much write anywhere with comfy seating and good food. (Bonus points if sitting at odd angles or even upside down is not frowned upon!)

Do You Listen to Music While Writing? What Kind?

Yes! It depends on the mood though. If we're writing a really exciting scene, we typically listen to fantasy background music to set the tone. Otherwise, we have an entire "Empire" playlist with songs dedicated to each of our characters...and their ships.

Favorite Character You Created

Hmmm... tough one. August is the comic relief and it's hard not to love him, butttt.... our two favorite characters are probably Meeka and Delphi since they mirror our real life friendship in the book.

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