Ashley-Ruth Bernier lives in Apex, North Carolina. Originally from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, she is an emerging writer of contemporary Caribbean mysteries. The winner of the North Carolina Writers Network’s 2022 Jacobs/Jones prize for Black writers, Ashley-Ruth’s stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, and The Caribbean Writer. Ashley-Ruth is a first grade teacher, a wife, and a mom of 4. For her, uninterrupted writing time is more valuable than gold.
My stories reflect my most treasured identity—that of a daughter of the Virgin Islands. My stories all feature St. Thomas in some way, and hopefully show the joy of a life spent in a dynamic community. I invite my readers to enter a cozy and vibrant world full of flavor, color, and a fair share of intrigue.
I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, as my mother, teachers, and former classmates will be quick to confirm. But being “A Writer”? Well…that’s something it’s taken me a little longer to get to; a destination I’m finally beginning to see in the distance. Join me on this journey by signing up for my newsletter ( I won’t even come close to flooding your inbox…it’ll be barely a drizzle, I promise!) and by following me on Twitter and Instagram. I can’t wait for you to join me on this awesome ride!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.