R.L. (Rachel) Toalson is the award-winning author of multiple prose and poetry novels for young people, including the middle grade books The Colors of the Rain, The Woods, The First Magnificent Summer, Something Maybe Magnificent, The Unforgettable Leta “Lightning” Laurel, and the forthcoming My Brother Oliver, (Simon & Schuster, May 2026), as well as several poetry and essay books for adults and a huge collection of middle grade and young adult books under a pen name. Love, Sivvy, her YA debut from Little, Brown (February 2026), is a novel in verse about the young adult years of poet Sylvia Plath. Her books have received awards, been Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections, and are studied as curriculum in English classes.
Before she turned to writing stories full time, Rachel was a news and features reporter for The San Antonio Express News and The Houston Chronicle and a managing editor of a newspaper produced by The United Methodist Church. While balancing a busy job in journalism, she also played bass guitar and sang in the rock band she shared with her husband, Ben. They recorded three full-length albums together.
She hosts the YouTube shows “Real Talk with Rachel” and “Writing Tips with Rachel.” She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her one extraordinary husband, six brilliant kids, and two arrogant cats.