AJ Reid

Hi, I’m AJ. This is where I try to convince you to invest in me as an author, but I’m on this journey for the first time. So let’s just vibe and talk shop for now.

I’m from North Carolina where I live with my husband and two cats. I got started in writing by being into reading first. I was lost to another world since I found a picture book of mythical monsters when I was a kid. I upscaled into all of the horse books when I went to school, and then got into fantasy from middle school onward, reading avidly into adulthood.

What made me start writing in the first place was frustration. Through self-exploration of gender and what it means to me, I got annoyed at the dichotomy of my two literary worlds. One was the satisfying fan fiction online that spoke to me outside of social norms, but too often disappointed in terms of quality. The other was published books that I couldn’t put down for their great stories and worlds, but shied away from heroes outside the heteronormative.

I didn’t get the courage to get serious about publishing anything myself until I encountered Lynn Flewelling and Mercedes Lackey’s works, and realized they had already done it. I took their popularity as solid permission to do similar and, though I still get nervous about my content sometimes, haven’t looked back since.

When I’m not cuddling with the cats or the husband, I’m often working on other long-term projects.

I’ve been in a couple bands (ancient history now, but they were “Of Colour” and “Swarm Theory”) and am an active LARPer. That’s immersive Live Action Role Play of the epic fantasy variety. In other words, go out to a state park for a weekend and hit other nerds dressed as elves and orcs with foam swords.

My friends and I started up a local game so we could drive 30 minutes instead of 4.5 hours to play. Of course, we were also trying to build the ultimate game (one that we all unanimously wanted to play).

Shameless shill: https://www.fivepillarslarp.com if you’re into that and want to try out the game beta in August 2023.

I also do a lot of crafting for my own costumes and kits. Sewing, makeup, leather working, prop-making with EVA foam. Always looking to learn how to do new things creatively.

If you see me at an author booth at any convention, I will happily talk too much about all of this.

This is a makeup test for Zakarias Bazor, the Nephilim fighter I’m planning to play at Five Pillars LARP.

Black and white portrait by Jonathan Vasquez