Willa Blythe
Queer + Speculative Fiction Writer
Socials
Contact me
Let's talk
Interested in starting a conversation, creating a connection, or collaborating on a project? Use the form below to contact me!
Check out my
Publications
Something in the Water
Merrily Shire has seen her life stagnate to the slowest drip while working at her aunt's coffee shop, and even the little magic she gets to work for customers doesn't relieve the aching boredom of her days. But when beautiful and mysterious Thea comes to her for aid, Merrily isn't sure she can offer what Thea needs. A heartwarming short about recovery, healing, and trusting in your own magic.Add Magic to Taste was Duck Prints Press' debut anthology, featuring fluffy magical coffee shop stories that truly capture that cottagecore softness.
Victoria
Dr. Margot Allison is determined to make Victoria habitable and give the people of Earth a new home. But every native plant is lethal to humans, and even the seeds she brought with her are stunted and toxic after being exposed to Victoria's water, air, and soil. When experiment after experiment fails, and lives are on the line, Margot must turn somewhere unexpected for the answer to her fundamental question: what can we do when we have destroyed the home that was designed to sustain us?Brave New Worlds from Zombies Need Brains LLC is an anthology of stories about humanity's reach for the stars, and was funded by Kickstarter in 2021. It is available from the ZNB webstore as well as other major booksellers.
The Brightshadow Curse Breaker
Lyric of the Lightest Step is determined to track down the Brightshadow Beast and end its reign of terror over the nights of the Asteracea Dominion--so determined that she is barely present for her days. But when her only true friend, Saffron, announces they must marry a prince to protect the Dominion from the Beast, Lyric realizes just how much the Brightshadow curse rules her life.Duck Prints Press' third anthology is actually part of a matched set. She Wears the Midnight Crown features stories about women who love women, or woman-aligned folks. He Bears the Cape of Stars features stories about men who love men & man-aligned folks. Both anthologies subvert the masquerade trope, telling stories about masks in society that are innovative and unexpected.
These anthologies will be released in late 2022.
I've been fortunate enough to work with some great independent presses who have done amazing things for and with my work. If you're a creator and want to start publishing, small presses like Duck Prints Press and Zombies Need Brains give fresh faces a chance in the otherwise unforgiving world of fiction publication.And when you have the opportunity, buy directly from those presses instead of Amazon. Shopping small supports us all. <3
What I'm Writing
Current Projects
| Project | Type | Progress | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Draft | Novel | 41% | 12/25/2022 |
| Artifice & Craft | Short Story | Outlined | 12/31/2022 |
| SWMC Follow-up | Collection | Outlined | 2023 |
Fall 2022 Novel Draft Project Countdown
In the autumn, writers often do a challenge called "NaNoWriMo" - or, National Novel Writing Month, in November. It's a challenge to write a 50k word novel in a month, which isn't a sustainable or realistic goal for me, as a single parent with a full time job (and a life!). But I did want to do something to embrace the challenge this year, and so I challenged myself to write a 70,000 word draft of my first novel between Labor Day and Christmas.Follow my social media pages to check in on my progress - I share updates there when there are updates to share!
About the Author
Willa Blythe writes queer and speculative fiction from her home in the lower Hudson River Valley. She grew up in east Texas a voracious reader and passionately persistent writer, and though she's taken breaks from the page here and there, she never lost her love for it. Willa is an associate member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SWFA).Behind the pen, Willa is a geeky, dramatic, neurodiverse lesbian of noncommittal gender identity. She's a single mother, a trauma survivor, and an avid treat-apologist.
y'all come back now
Thanks!
I'll be back in touch with you soon. Thanks for reaching out!