Ava Dellaira was born in Los Angeles, but she was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a child, she spent many summer days playing imaginary games with her sister, which contributed to her storytelling abilities. Her first memory of writing was a poem she wrote in the second grade about her kittens, her mom, and rainbows. Dellaira attended the University of Chicago and earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She moved to Los Angeles soon after graduation with the desire to be a screenwriter.
Dellaira secured employment with author Stephen Chbosky, who encouraged her to write a book after reading some of her writing. That night, the idea for "Love Letters to the Dead" popped into her mind, and she began working on the book that same night. Since its publication, Dellaira has adapted it into a screenplay and is hoping to see it come to life on screen. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and spends her days writing in neighborhood coffee shops or at home. She loves the LA palm trees, the city's love for music, and traveling. Dellaira is currently working on her second novel.