“The tales lovers tell each other about how they met are hushed and secret things. They change year by year, for we all meet many times as we grow up and become different and new and exciting people--and this never stops, even for a minute, even when we are ninety.”

American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic

Catherynne M. Valente is an American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. She is known for speculative fiction, and her work has earned the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, the Andre Norton Award, and the Mythopoeic Award. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine and in anthologies such as Salon Fantastique and Paper Cities, along with several Year's Best volumes. Her criticism has also been published in the International Journal of the Humanities and in other essay collections.