Amber Gabriel has loved books for as long as she can remember. A lifetime of reading and writing plus an active imagination equal a compulsion for storytelling. She also paints murals, coaches archery, plays the guitar and violin, and dances with her husband. She enjoys everything she does, and boredom never plagues her.
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Frame of Reference
One down, two to go. The prima ballerina with the Grand Kyiv Ballet, Iryna is excited for her American tour—and the chance to reconnect with the brown-eyed American she hasn’t seen since childhood. Her trip is just beginning when tragedy strikes, resulting in a close friend’s mysterious death and a fear that she might be next. Rick Carter wasn’t looking to fall in love, but the moment he laid eyes on his sister’s childhood friend all grown up, he fell hard. Their courtship, however, is haunted by unsettling threats and near-misses. Is someone hunting him and Iryna? And if so, why? As their newfound love deepens, so does the danger surrounding them. To survive they’ll need all their wits but also their faith.
- ISBN: B0DY7B671R
- Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Interview with Amber Gabriel 2025
Amber Gabriel never set out to write a romantic suspense novel. In fact, Frame of Reference—her newest release from Scrivenings Press—spent years tucked away in a digital drawer while she explored fantasy realms, coached archery, and painted murals across Pacific Northwest walls. But when dreams and memories of Ukraine wouldn’t let her go, Amber returned to the manuscript that started it all. As a result, a gripping story of love, danger, and resilience emerged. This story blends real-life experiences abroad with a deep-rooted passion for storytelling.
Amber first imagined Frame of Reference years ago, inspired by the complex political tensions in Ukraine. The uncertainty of the setting made her pause the project, unsure how to continue a story so deeply entwined with real-world change. “The situation in Ukraine shifted daily,” she recalls. “It didn’t feel responsible to write about something in constant flux.” Eventually, she grounded the plot in 2017, giving it a fixed historical context and a stronger foundation. What started as a suspense-filled concept matured into a love story anchored in faith and courage.
While Frame of Reference simmered in the background, Amber launched her Kingdom Adventure fantasy series. This alternate world, built without magic or manufactured faith, mirrors Old Testament moral structures and human consequence. “People and their basic needs stay the same, no matter the genre,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I was switching genres. Just switching settings.” Despite the shift from fantasy to romantic suspense, Amber’s commitment to character development and deep, meaningful themes remained consistent.
Her path to publication began in the quiet hours most people sleep. Diagnosed later with narcolepsy, Amber spent years waking in the night, wide-eyed and restless. Instead of frustration, she found fuel. “I used to tell myself stories to fall asleep. Eventually, I started writing them down.” Her first fantasy novel took shape in only three months during those early-morning writing sessions. Holding the printed proof of that story marked a turning point. She no longer imagined being a writer. She was one.
Amber’s real-world adventures shape much of her fiction. At sixteen, she moved alone to Moscow to teach English, an experience that formed lasting impressions of Slavic culture. She later taught at a Russian-Ukrainian school in Oregon, where relationships with students deepened her appreciation for that part of the world. These lived experiences breathed life into Iryna, the ballerina heroine of Frame of Reference, and added realism to the American tour backdrop of the Grand Kyiv Ballet. “Nothing beats firsthand experience,” Amber says. She even had a former student help verify the accuracy of her Ukrainian dialogue.
Authenticity runs through all her work. When writing fantasy, she joined HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) classes, rode a camel, and cooked with sorghum. She sketched maps and castles, drew visual references, and walked through her fictional worlds before asking her readers to do the same. As a muralist and visual artist, Amber understands the power of imagery. “You have to see a scene before you describe it.” Her ability to paint with words helps readers lose themselves in each setting, whether it’s a ballet theater under threat or a windswept mountaintop in an imagined land.
For all her talents, Amber credits her growth to the input of others. Hiring an editor was the best investment in her writing. “I can’t see my own blind spots. An editor helps shape my work into something clearer and more readable.” Feedback from beta readers also helps her gauge story impact and theological clarity. “If my mom can read it, I know it’s not too dark. If my Bible study group approves, I know the spiritual elements align with Scripture.”
As a longtime educator, Amber finds joy in teaching others to write. Whether guiding fourth graders through their first short story or helping Kenyan students complete a class poetry anthology, she sees stories as bridges to confidence. “When a student says, ‘Look what I wrote!’ that moment is everything,” she says. “Helping people believe in their own voice—that’s one of the greatest rewards.”
Amber’s workshops extend to adults too. One of her most meaningful moments came during a book fair, when an older man confided he had always wanted to write but was told it wasn’t possible. Amber handed him one of her workshop guides and told him the truth: he could. His tears reminded her of how powerful encouragement can be.
Even her narcolepsy, which once threatened to derail her days, became a surprising gift. “I dream fast,” she says. “My REM cycle finishes in about ten minutes. Those vivid dreams gave me stories I never would have written if I slept like everyone else.”
Looking ahead, Amber plans to finish her Edge of the Sword fantasy series and develop spin-offs for a few persistent characters. She’s also collaborating with author H. L. Burke on a superhero fiction project. As for long-term goals, they include travel to Australia and the Himalayas, and perhaps a story sparked by those adventures. “I’ve crossed so many things off my bucket list, I have to add more.”
For Amber Gabriel, storytelling flows naturally from who she is: a dreamer, a doer, a teacher, and an artist. Her journey from restless nights to published novels shows how faith, imagination, and perseverance can shape a writer’s path in unexpected ways. Whether crafting suspense rooted in real-life experience or building vivid fantasy worlds, she invites readers to see truth through story and empowers others to find their voice along the way.
Amber first imagined Frame of Reference years ago, inspired by the complex political tensions in Ukraine. The uncertainty of the setting made her pause the project, unsure how to continue a story so deeply entwined with real-world change. “The situation in Ukraine shifted daily,” she recalls. “It didn’t feel responsible to write about something in constant flux.” Eventually, she grounded the plot in 2017, giving it a fixed historical context and a stronger foundation. What started as a suspense-filled concept matured into a love story anchored in faith and courage.
While Frame of Reference simmered in the background, Amber launched her Kingdom Adventure fantasy series. This alternate world, built without magic or manufactured faith, mirrors Old Testament moral structures and human consequence. “People and their basic needs stay the same, no matter the genre,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I was switching genres. Just switching settings.” Despite the shift from fantasy to romantic suspense, Amber’s commitment to character development and deep, meaningful themes remained consistent.
Her path to publication began in the quiet hours most people sleep. Diagnosed later with narcolepsy, Amber spent years waking in the night, wide-eyed and restless. Instead of frustration, she found fuel. “I used to tell myself stories to fall asleep. Eventually, I started writing them down.” Her first fantasy novel took shape in only three months during those early-morning writing sessions. Holding the printed proof of that story marked a turning point. She no longer imagined being a writer. She was one.
Amber’s real-world adventures shape much of her fiction. At sixteen, she moved alone to Moscow to teach English, an experience that formed lasting impressions of Slavic culture. She later taught at a Russian-Ukrainian school in Oregon, where relationships with students deepened her appreciation for that part of the world. These lived experiences breathed life into Iryna, the ballerina heroine of Frame of Reference, and added realism to the American tour backdrop of the Grand Kyiv Ballet. “Nothing beats firsthand experience,” Amber says. She even had a former student help verify the accuracy of her Ukrainian dialogue.
Authenticity runs through all her work. When writing fantasy, she joined HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) classes, rode a camel, and cooked with sorghum. She sketched maps and castles, drew visual references, and walked through her fictional worlds before asking her readers to do the same. As a muralist and visual artist, Amber understands the power of imagery. “You have to see a scene before you describe it.” Her ability to paint with words helps readers lose themselves in each setting, whether it’s a ballet theater under threat or a windswept mountaintop in an imagined land.
For all her talents, Amber credits her growth to the input of others. Hiring an editor was the best investment in her writing. “I can’t see my own blind spots. An editor helps shape my work into something clearer and more readable.” Feedback from beta readers also helps her gauge story impact and theological clarity. “If my mom can read it, I know it’s not too dark. If my Bible study group approves, I know the spiritual elements align with Scripture.”
As a longtime educator, Amber finds joy in teaching others to write. Whether guiding fourth graders through their first short story or helping Kenyan students complete a class poetry anthology, she sees stories as bridges to confidence. “When a student says, ‘Look what I wrote!’ that moment is everything,” she says. “Helping people believe in their own voice—that’s one of the greatest rewards.”
Amber’s workshops extend to adults too. One of her most meaningful moments came during a book fair, when an older man confided he had always wanted to write but was told it wasn’t possible. Amber handed him one of her workshop guides and told him the truth: he could. His tears reminded her of how powerful encouragement can be.
Even her narcolepsy, which once threatened to derail her days, became a surprising gift. “I dream fast,” she says. “My REM cycle finishes in about ten minutes. Those vivid dreams gave me stories I never would have written if I slept like everyone else.”
Looking ahead, Amber plans to finish her Edge of the Sword fantasy series and develop spin-offs for a few persistent characters. She’s also collaborating with author H. L. Burke on a superhero fiction project. As for long-term goals, they include travel to Australia and the Himalayas, and perhaps a story sparked by those adventures. “I’ve crossed so many things off my bucket list, I have to add more.”
For Amber Gabriel, storytelling flows naturally from who she is: a dreamer, a doer, a teacher, and an artist. Her journey from restless nights to published novels shows how faith, imagination, and perseverance can shape a writer’s path in unexpected ways. Whether crafting suspense rooted in real-life experience or building vivid fantasy worlds, she invites readers to see truth through story and empowers others to find their voice along the way.
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