Kathe Koja

Kathe Koja (born 1960) is an American writer. She was initially known for her intense speculative fiction for adults, but has written young adult novels, the historical fiction Under the Poppy trilogy, and a fictional biography of Christopher Marlowe.Koja is also a prolific author of short stories, including many in collaboration with Barry N. Malzberg. Koja has also collaborated with Carter Scholz. Most of her short fiction remains uncollected. Koja's novels and short stories frequently concern characters who have been in some way marginalized by society, often focusing on the transcendence and/or disintegration which proceeds from this social isolation (as in The Cipher, Bad Brains, "Teratisms," The Blue Mirror, etc.). Koja won the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for her first novel The Cipher, and a Deathrealm Award for Strange Angels. Her prose has been described as "stunning".Koja was born in Detroit, Michigan, the second of two sisters. She began writing when very young, but only became serious about it after attending a Clarion workshop.Koja lives near Detroit, Michigan, and is married to the illustrator Rick Lieder, who often does her book jackets. They have one son.Koja's literary works have been recognized and highlighted at Michigan State University in their Michigan Writers Series.Koja is founding director of nerve, a Detroit-based immersive theatre company. Koja is a Democrat.Koja is a supporter of Mercy for Animals, PETA, and the Michigan Anti-Cruelty society