Meet the Author
Amber Hiles (Verba) lives on the windy plains of eastern South Dakota with her husband, three kids, and a lively menagerie of cats and dogs (three of each—because balance matters). She’s the author of Water and Stone, a haunting debut, and her poetry, short fiction, and excerpts have appeared across digital and print platforms.
When she’s not writing or running her creative business, A.Rose Media and Design, Amber teaches middle school English Language Arts—a calling she embraced in 2021 as a way to leave a living legacy through stories and students. Since then, she’s built a growing local writing community, launched a blog with monthly contests, and runs an annual summer writing workshop in her hometown.
Amber is a believer in the power of thought and the mind’s ability to shape reality. To her, training the brain to notice the good—gratitude, wonder, joy—isn’t just a mindset; it’s a practice.
She finds her peace in shelterbelts, collects stones from every place she visits, and insists all good hugs last a minimum of 20 awkward, soul-healing seconds.
A mix of mystic and realist, Amber’s work is shaped by the minds of Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Emily Dickinson. If you want to start a conversation, try mentioning books, the cosmos, or her students—just be ready to go deep.
