Picture a Kentucky-born storyteller weaving tales of queer ghosts, fast cars, and Southern gothic vibes—meet Lee Mandelo! A rising star in speculative fiction, Mandelo’s work, like their haunting debut Summer Sons, blends raw emotion with queer identity and supernatural chills. As a scholar and critic, they’re reshaping how we see gender and sexuality in sci-fi and horror.
With nominations for the Hugo, Nebula, and Lambda awards, Mandelo’s stories resonate with readers craving authentic, boundary-pushing narratives. Their long-running column, Queering SFF, for Tor.com has cemented their voice as a champion of diverse speculative fiction. Let’s dive into the life and works of this literary trailblazer!
The Making of Lee Mandelo
Born and raised in Kentucky, Lee Mandelo grew up surrounded by the rolling hills and rich storytelling traditions of the American South. Their love for stories sparked early, fueled by a fascination with speculative fiction’s ability to explore the strange and the queer. Mandelo pursued degrees in English and Contemporary Literature, earning a Master’s on fellowship at the University of Liverpool in 2014. Now a doctoral candidate in Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of Kentucky, they blend academic rigor with creative passion, focusing on queer theory and transgender masculinities.
Mandelo’s writing career kicked off with short fiction and essays in magazines like Tor.com and Uncanny. At 19, they launched the Queering SFF column, a platform to spotlight queer voices in speculative fiction. This bold start set the stage for their unique blend of scholarship and storytelling, earning them a loyal following.
Lee Mandelo’s Unforgettable Stories
Mandelo’s debut novel, Summer Sons (2021), is a queer Southern gothic masterpiece. This sweltering tale follows Andrew, grappling with his best friend’s mysterious death, haunted by a vengeful ghost and tangled in Nashville’s street-racing scene. Critics, from NPR to the Chicago Review of Books, praised its raw exploration of queer masculinity and grief, blending The Secret History with The Fast and the Furious.
Their novellas, Feed Them Silence (2023) and The Woods All Black (2024), showcase Mandelo’s range. Feed Them Silence dives into near-future sci-fi with a lesbian scientist and wolf-like connections, while The Woods All Black is a trans romance-horror set in 1920s Appalachia, tackling reproductive justice and queer resistance. Mandelo’s short fiction, like “The Pigeon Summer” (Tor.com, 2016), often explores fluid identities and won the 2018 Lambda Award for Transgender Fiction.
Known for lyrical prose and unflinching themes, Mandelo crafts stories where queerness isn’t an add-on but the heart of the narrative. Their work challenges norms, weaving gender, sexuality, and Southern landscapes into speculative worlds that feel both timeless and urgent.
Why Lee Mandelo Matters
Lee Mandelo is more than a writer—they’re a cultural force. Through Queering SFF, they’ve amplified marginalized voices, making speculative fiction more inclusive. Their fiction, rich with queer and trans perspectives, offers readers a lens to explore identity and resistance in a world often hostile to difference. Awards like the Lambda and nominations for the Nebula and Hugo highlight their impact, but it’s their ability to connect with readers—especially queer and trans audiences—that truly sets them apart.
As a scholar, Mandelo’s PhD research on trans queer masculinity pushes academic boundaries, mirroring the fearless exploration in their fiction. In a genre often dominated by straight, cis narratives, Mandelo’s work is a beacon for those seeking stories that reflect their truths.
- Key Works: Summer Sons (2021), Feed Them Silence (2023), The Woods All Black (2024)
- Awards: 2018 Lambda Award for Transgender Fiction; Nebula, Hugo, and Lambda nominee
- Hometown: Kentucky, USA
- Current Role: Doctoral candidate, University of Kentucky
About Lee Mandelo
Ready to get lost in a world of queer ghosts and Southern secrets? Snag Summer Sons and dive into Lee Mandelo’s haunting, heart-stirring speculative fiction!