BIO:

My name is Kalie! I’m a fantasy author represented by Alice Caprio at Felicity Bryan. My debut romantic fantasy novel about an exiled saint and the devout iconographer sent to paint him is currently in its VAGUE ERA, with news I can hopefully share soon! I’ve been story-obsessed since I learned how to read, and I haven’t looked back since. Books have been my favourite and most constant companion, and I’m a big believer that they’re the #1 best way to feel a little less alone in the world. I grew up just outside Portland, Oregon, before moving across the world to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I've lived for the past ten years. Alongside my day job as a wedding photographer, I am a voracious reader and active in the Booktok community. I love anything romance— the slower burn, the better! After a lifetime of fanfiction (hands up if you, too, grew up on AO3), I decided to start writing independently in 2020. I completed a mentorship programme with my first book in 2021, which made such a difference to my writing and gave me so much support in the trenches, and I can't wait to help a writer out in the same way!

MSWL:

I’m a HUGE romantasy fan, with tastes that skew on the more literary end of the genre. Think Rebecca Ross, Allison Saft, or Grace Draven. I love a mix of prose, atmosphere, and angsty romance. Soft characters and softer love are what I’m after. If your book falls on the slow and unwinding side of pacing with a character-driven plot, it’s right up my alley. - Beautiful, lyrical prose is forever the number one way to snag me! Think Erin Morgenstern, Roshani Chokshi, or Alix E Harrow in the fantasy space. Atmosphere so thick you can swim in it, indulgent descriptions, and richly imagined worlds.

On the romance side of things, the slower the burn, the better. If your book can be described in any way as “painful”, “will make you cry”, or “heartbreakingly angsty”, I want to see it. Some of my favourite romances are found in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, Isabel Cañas’ Vampires of El Norte, and Isabel Agajanian’s Modern Divination.

I love a good rivals to lovers (especially in an academic setting) or a particularly angsty friends to lovers, and queer stories are MORE than welcome! - I adore an inventive magic system, especially if it leans on the “quieter” side. Magic with consequences to its user, magic that corrupts, and magic with hard-to-define borders are my favourite. Anything involving books, libraries, art, academia, or anything creative will immediately have my attention.

I lean generally more towards a more real-world or historically influenced setting. A few favourite authors are Ava Reid, Sue Lynn Tan, Katherine Arden, and Saara El-Arifi. Anything with non-Western folklore or historical influences, in particular, draws my attention.

A few fantasy elements I absolutely adore: the blend of historical fantasy and sci-fi in Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson’s The Principle of Moments, the folkloric influences in AB Poranek’s Where The Dark Stands Still, Eli and Victor’s relationship (specifically) in Vicious by VE Schwab, and any love interest that could be compared to Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. Assorted things I LOVE: sentient forests, forgotten gods, bargains gone wrong, confined settings, and the weather as a character.

I’m not the best fit for urban fantasy, dystopian, stabby MCs, or anything too violent, especially if there are torture scenes. That being said, I love being surprised, and some of my favourite books are ones I didn’t originally think I’d like!

MENTORING STYLE

I'm a very relaxed, no-fuss person and am very flexible in my approach to mentoring. Anything from Zoom calls to in-line comments to an edit letter (or all three) works for me. My strength lies in inline-level edits and polishing up manuscripts in both theme and prose, and we'll work together to find a method that suits us both.

APPLICATIONS FROM CONNECTIONS

Please do not apply to me if we've ever beta-read for each other or have had extensive conversations online. If we're in the same discord(s) or mutuals on social media but haven't talked more than a comment on a post here or there, feel free to apply!