Catherynne Morgan Valente is an American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. Her work spans speculative fiction, poetry, and critical essays, earning her recognition within the literary community. Valente's speculative fiction novels have received major awards, including the James Tiptree Jr. Award, the Andre Norton Award, and the Mythopoeic Award. Her short fiction has been published in Clarkesworld Magazine and various anthologies including Salon Fantastique and Paper Cities, as well as in multiple "Year's Best" volumes. Beyond fiction, Valente has established herself as a literary critic, with critical work appearing in the International Journal of the Humanities and other essay collections.