Loretta Chefchaouni is a former early childhood educator from Florida who writes for teens. Her fantastical tales turn grief and fear into myth and monsters and explore all the scary parts of being human within the safe space of stories. She is made of coffee stains and cat fur, and if you were to cut her open, you'd find a marshmallow center. The Lustrous Dark is her debut novel.

*In regards to identity, Loretta  is a white convert to Islam. She is committed to seeing more authentic Muslim representation on the shelves, but please be aware that she should not be considered for lists or awards exclusive to BIPOC writers.