JERSEY SHORE — Local girl Marybeth Davis, 21, prepares to walk with the second graduating class from The Author Conservatory, a three-year online college-alternative program for gifted writers.

Her first book, “Voices of the Future: Stories of Adventure and Imagination,” will be released Dec. 3 with a launch event open to the public at the Gateway Cafe from 3-5 p.m.

Davis has spent the last three years learning from bestselling and award-winning authors, professional editors and literary agents — including Christy and Carol Award-winning author Joanne Bischof, ACFW agent of the year Steve Laube and New York Times bestselling authors Tosca Lee and C. J. Redwine.

“Becoming an author like this was just a dream when I was a kid. Now, it’s my reality, and I couldn’t be more thankful,” Davis said.

Some of Davis’s accomplishments include:

• Drafting four full-length novels and over 10 short stories.

• Receiving in-depth feedback from award-winning authors and professional editors.

• Receiving interest in her projects from multiple agents and publishers.

• Gaining experience in marketing and project management through running a successful business, Marybeth’s Cleaning Services, with multiple employees.

• Attending professional writing conferences like Write To Publish and Realm Makers.

“Voices of the Future: Stories of Adventure and Imagination,” which features short stories from 14 rising young creatives, will be available on her website, MarybethDavisCreative.com, as well as Amazon.com in paperback and e-book formats. It has already sold over 400 pre-order copies.