Picture a Japanese-American storyteller who weaves folklore, science fiction, and raw human emotion into unforgettable tales—meet Sequoia Nagamatsu! His bestselling novel How High We Go in the Dark and award-winning story collection Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone have captivated readers with their genre-defying brilliance. From grief to resilience, Nagamatsu’s work explores what it means to be human in extraordinary times.
Born with a foot in two worlds—Hawaii’s vibrant shores and the San Francisco Bay Area’s creative pulse—Nagamatsu’s unique perspective shapes his storytelling. With a knack for blending speculative wonder with heartfelt narratives, he’s become a literary star, teaching, editing, and inspiring a new generation of writers.
The Making of Sequoia Nagamatsu
Raised in Oahu and San Francisco, Sequoia Nagamatsu’s early love for storytelling bloomed at Pinewood School, where he began crafting tales. His Japanese heritage and time in Niigata City, Japan, deepened his fascination with folklore and culture. Armed with a BA in Anthropology from Grinnell College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern Illinois University, he honed a voice that bridges the real and the fantastical. His background in anthropology fuels his exploration of identity, community, and human connection, while his love for Star Trek and comic books adds a playful, speculative edge.
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s Unforgettable Stories
Nagamatsu’s debut story collection, Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone (2016), is a love letter to Japanese folklore, blending yokai spirits and pop culture into haunting, heartfelt tales. It earned a silver medal at the Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year Award and cemented his reputation for innovative prose. His breakout novel, How High We Go in the Dark (2022), is a New York Times Editors’ Choice, weaving interlinked stories of a climate-driven pandemic’s aftermath. Its lyrical exploration of grief, technology, and hope spans centuries, earning praise from authors like Alan Moore and Chloe Benjamin.
His upcoming novel, Girl Zero, promises to dive into identity and loss through a shapeshifter replacing a deceased girl. Nagamatsu’s style—kaleidoscopic, emotionally rich, and genre-bending—defies categorization, drawing comparisons to David Mitchell and Italo Calvino. Whether tackling climate crises or cosmic quests, his work balances speculative wonder with profound human truths, making every story a journey.
Why Sequoia Nagamatsu Matters
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s impact stretches beyond his pages. As an associate professor at St. Olaf College and faculty at the Rainier Writing Workshop, he nurtures emerging writers, emphasizing community and empathy. His work with Psychopomp Magazine champions genre-defying prose, amplifying liminal voices. By tackling climate change, pandemics, and grief, his stories resonate with today’s anxieties, offering hope through human resilience. Shortlisted for prestigious awards like the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize, Nagamatsu is shaping speculative fiction’s future, proving that stories can both challenge and heal.
- Key Works: Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone, How High We Go in the Dark, Girl Zero (forthcoming)
- Awards: Finalist for Ursula K. Le Guin Prize, shortlisted for Barnes & Noble Discover Prize
- Hobbies: Star Trek nerd, comic book enthusiast
Ready to explore cosmic grief and folklore-fueled wonder? Snag How High We Go in the Dark and dive into Sequoia Nagamatsu’s spellbinding world!