Kendra Fortmeyer

Kendra Fortmeyer grew up in the lush woods of North Carolina, surrounded by piles of books. She got the idea for her magical realist YA debut novel, HOLE IN THE MIDDLE, after a mediocre date, and also after her left lung unexpectedly collapsed. On a related note, she would like you to know that your body is spectacular and if anyone tells you otherwise, you may kick them in the teeth.

She received a 2017 Pushcart Prize for her story, “Things I Know to Be True,” which was originally published in One Story and reprinted in The Best American Nonrequired Reading. She’s a recipient of grants from the Elizabeth George Foundation, Michener Center for Writers, Arvon Foundation and others, and a graduate of the 2016 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers workshop with an MFA from the New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Her short fiction has appeared in The Toast, Lightspeed, Apex, and elsewhere.

tl;dr: Future mermaid, aspiring feminist folk hero, perpetual magical realist. Currently feeling all of the feels, and believing in you.