Vylar Kaftan is a speculative fiction writer whose work spans science fiction, fantasy, horror, and slipstream. She gained recognition with her Nebula Award-nominated short story "I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno," which marked her as a distinctive voice in the genre. Her fiction has been published in prominent venues such as "Lightspeed", "Strange Horizons", "ChiZine", and "Clarkesworld", and has been anthologized in collections like "Horror: The Best of the Year". Her writing has also earned honorable mentions in "The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror" and a shortlist placement for the WSFA Small Press Award.
A graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop, Kaftan has contributed to the speculative fiction community through mentorship and organizational leadership. She has volunteered with Clarion West and the Little Owls program, which supports young writers. An active member of several professional organizations, including SFWA, Codex, Broad Universe, and the Carl Brandon Society, she also founded FOGcon, a literary-focused science fiction and fantasy convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kaftan resides in northern California with her husband, Shannon, and enjoys temple dancing and disaster preparedness in her spare time.