Nina Varela is a nationally awarded writer of screenplays and short fiction. She was born in New Orleans and raised on a hippie commune in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent most of her childhood playing in the Eno River, building faerie houses from moss and bark, and running barefoot through the woods. These days, Nina lives in Los Angeles with her writing partner and their tiny ill-behaved dog. She tends to write stories about young people toppling the monarchy/patriarchy/whatever-archy. On a related note, she’s queer. On a less related note, she has strong feelings about hush puppies and loves a good jambalaya. Crier’s Waris her first novel.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy
Nina Varela recommends
Into the Sunken City (2024)
Dinesh Thiru
"Into the Sunken City is the definition of swashbuckling - a gripping underwater adventure set in a fantastically full-bodied world of storms, sea, and cephalopods. Sisters Jin and Thara are the heart of this story, and their relationship - in Jin's words - makes the whole spirit glow."
Dear Medusa (2023)
Olivia A Cole
"Furious and gorgeous and raw - an unflinching exploration not only of a teenage girl's anger and grief but her capacity for love and joy.... Alicia's voice will not turn you to stone; it will sink its teeth into you and not let go."
Gearbreakers (2021)
(Gearbreakers, book 1)
Zoe Hana Mikuta
"Dark, fierce, thrilling, and tender, Gearbreakers will make your blood sing. Set in a ruthless, vividly imagined world against the scope of gods and sword-fighting mechas and a crushing war, Zoe Hana Mikuta deftly balances the brutal with the hopeful. An electric heart beats on every page of this breathlessly paced cyberpunk adventure."
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