Jordan Kurella
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jordan Kurella | |
|---|---|
 Jordan Kurella holding a copy of his book I Never Liked You Anyway. | |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Science fiction, fantasy, horror |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Notable works | The Death of Mountains, I Never Liked You Anyway |
Jordan Kurella is an American fantasy and horror author. His fiction, which has been described as new weird[1] "with a strong moral bent,"[2] has been a finalist for the Nebula Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award.
Kurella lives in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kenyon College in 1999.[3][4][5] He is transgender and disabled and has previously worked as a photographer, radio station disc jockey, and social worker.[6]
Career
Kurella initially wrote literary fiction, but published only a single short story before realizing that he preferred to write fantasy and horror stories.[7] Since then, his short fiction has been published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Apex Magazine, and Lightspeed Magazine. In 2024, his short story "Evan: A Remainder" was published by Reactor Magazine and named a finalist for the Nebula Award[8] and the Theodore Sturgeon Award.[9]
His first book of long fiction, I Never Liked You Anyway, was released in 2022 by the small press Vernacular.[10] His follow-up novella The Death of Mountains was released in 2025 by Lethe Press.[2]
He has also served on the board of directors of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America[11]
Critical Reception
Kurella's stories have been noted for being "serious, thoughtful, melancholy" and carried by "beautifully rendered characters and their voices."[12] His stories have also been noted to belong to the new weird genre[1] and described as haunting allegories[10] "with a strong moral bent.[2]
The Ancillary Review of Books called Kurella's novella The Death of Mountains "a delightful, thoughtful, moving story of a mountain who doesn’t want to die, and the Death that doesn’t want to kill her."[12] Publishers Weekly called the book "a fabulist take on the cli-fi formula that makes a powerful case for the triumph of the natural world."[2] The novella was named a finalist for both the 2025 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction[13][14] and the Nebula Award.[8]
Publishers Weekly called his novella I Never Liked You Anyway "funny, sexy, and wrenching" while also noting that "Kurella's beautifully queer take on this story shows Eurydice's full and compelling humanity."[10]
Kurella is a three-time finalist for the Nebula Award, twice in the category of Best Novella and once for Best Short Story.