An avid reader since the age of three, DeAndra Davis says she devoured a wide range of books, from classic children’s authors like Judy Blume to popular YA series like the Uglies, as well as less age-appropriate fare such as Danielle Steel and Mary Higgins Clark. Her current influences form an even longer list. “There are so many amazing authors publishing right now, and they’re all constant inspirations,” she says.
Davis is a graduate of Florida International University, where she earned an MFA in fiction. In her YA debut, All the Noise at Once, readers are introduced to Aiden, a Black autistic teen whose dream of joining his older brother, Brandon, on the football team turns into a nightmare one fateful night when a fight breaks out and Brandon gets arrested and charged with felony assault on an officer. The brothers’ bond is put to the test as they face a looming court date and a guilt-ridden Aiden trying to clear his brother’s name.
“This is the first book I’ve written to completion,” Davis says of All the Noise at Once. “But it had many shapes throughout the years.” The seed of the novel was planted when her son was diagnosed with autism, and grew from other factors like the Black Lives Matter movement and interactions with the police.
Davis began her publishing journey with little knowledge of the process or its difficulties—a fact that she’s grateful for, she says; otherwise she might have talked herself out of trying. She had the “amazing benefit” of receiving multiple agent offers, and says she chose Jenissa Graham at Bookends Literary Agency for her editorial vision, submission strategy, and advocacy for authors of color.
There were several positive responses from editors, but Julia McCarthy at Atheneum stood out for how she appreciated Davis’s ideas, passion, and intentions. “Julia’s partnership and unwavering support have made me a better writer,” Davis says, and was vital for her when navigating difficult subjects such as race, neurodiversity, and police brutality.
Above all, Davis tries to approach these themes thoughtfully, balancing honesty with hope. “It requires a lot of trust,” she says. “I trust my readers, and teenagers, to get it. I trust them to make the connections, and I trust them to ask questions when they don’t. I know there are kids who need this and there are kids who need to see this.”
The writing process was an emotional one, plumbing not only Davis’s own life but also her relationships. The heart of the novel, Aiden and Brandon’s sibling relationship, is modeled after that of Davis and her younger sister, with whom she says she’s never even had an argument. Davis channeled their “endless inside jokes” and shared language in crafting the brothers’ connection.
The biggest takeaway Davis hopes educators, teachers, and young readers get from the book is the knowledge that neurodivergent people can be main characters, too. “More than anything, I want people to understand how to respect neurodivergent and marginalized people around them,” she says.
When she’s not writing, Davis teaches writing and literature at Florida Atlantic University. She also plays video games—her other great passion—in her spare time. Games bring her joy, and also the occasional idea for her writing.
Davis admits that she’s a “next thing” person, always buzzing with ideas. Her second novel is already in the works, with an expected release from Atheneum in summer 2026. In it, a recent high school graduate takes a spontaneous trip to Jamaica in search of her estranged mother. While there is some romance, the story is complicated by the protagonist figuring out her sexual identity in a country where non-normative sexuality is controversial. “It’s a book about advocating for yourself, coming into your truth, loss and independence, and, of course, a little bit of bi panic,” Davis says. “I can’t wait for this one.”
