Hi! I'm Mary, 36, from Devon, UK. 🖤

I've been a My Chemical Romance fan for as long as I can remember (and yes, I still absolutely am!). Years ago, when I was around 15, I wrote Following the Red Gunned Road purely as a hobby because I loved the band so much. I never imagined it would find so many readers, and I'm still incredibly grateful to everyone who supported that story over the years.

After nearly 20 years, I did try going back to finish it... only to discover that teenage me and present-day me have very different ideas about good writing. 😂 Rather than trying to rewrite every chapter, I decided to take everything I'd learned over the years and create something completely new.

And that's how Ashes & Amplifiers was born.

It's inspired by the story I started all those years ago, but with a completely fictional band, new characters and a story that very quickly became its own. At its heart, it's a story about found family, healing, hope, love, and discovering that home isn't a place - it's the people who choose to stay.

Outside of writing, I work in healthcare, I'm a wife and mum to two teenagers, an avid reader, and - unsurprisingly - still a massive My Chemical Romance fan. 🖤 I've been lucky enough to see them live many times over the years, and my MCR obsession has even made its way onto my skin - I'm currently working on an entire MCR-inspired leg sleeve. 😂🖤

Thank you for reading, supporting, commenting, voting, or simply giving my stories a chance. Whether you've been here since Following the Red Gunned Road or you've only just discovered Ashes & Amplifiers, I'm genuinely grateful you're here.

I hope you enjoy Ivy's journey as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Mary x