Theresa Hottel, author & writing coach

I’m the author of Dust, a literary fantasy novel forthcoming in 2027 from Algonquin/Little, Brown in the US and Abacus/Little, Brown in the UK. Born in Taipei and raised in Oklahoma, I’m passionate about the intricacies of storytelling. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, where I taught creative writing, over 6 years, to 200+ students in undergraduate and high school creative writing programs. I’ve published stories and essays with publishers like Catapult Books, SmokeLong Quarterly and Bright Wall/Dark Room, and received support for my writing from notable arts organizations and institutions, including Art Omi: Writers, Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference, and the US National Park Service. I edited the documentary film Truth Be Told, a collaboration with Emmy award-winning director Nneka Onuorah, which premiered at Outfest LA and won the 2023 Social Impact Award.

These experiences grant me a sharp, wide-ranging understanding of the publishing industry and what readers seek in stories, and how we can shape our work to make its unique strengths and aims as clear to them as possible. After almost a decade in New York, I currently live in Barcelona with my partner.