LAURA GALÁN-WELLS

Portrait of Laura Galan-Wells

BIO

Laura (she/her) is a Mexican-American author, improviser, and explorer living in Austin, Texas. She loves blending speculative fiction genres, to include fantasy, sci-fi, historical, alternate history, dystopian, and horror. Her work is inspired by many forms of nerdy media, Mesoamerican mythology, and both Texan and Mexican folklore, history, and culture. She writes adult short stories, and YA and MG novels/novels-in-verse. Her comic book origin story MOLT is releasing Fall 2023 as part of “THE THIRTEEN”, a Latinx comics universe launched by Chispa Comics, a Scout Comics imprint.

Although she was born 3 miles from the Texas/Mexico border, Laura mostly grew up overseas—in Spain, Egypt, and South Africa. This unique upbringing gifted her a multicultural worldview, and a passion for EDI advocacy. She is open to mentoring YA/MG across all speculative fiction genre blends. Favorites include dystopias inspired by real world folklore, history, and culture, and multiple PoV braided narratives—the ultimate found family.

Laura’s literary agent is Samantha Wekstein, and The Gotham Group represents her books for TV and film. You can connect with her on social media.

MSWL

What I’m Looking for

Hi potential mentees! I’ll be looking for MG and YA speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, historical, dystopian, and/or light horror) that is as polished as you can get it, but with elements I can guide you to enhance. I have no experience in self-publishing, so would not be a good fit for writers with that goal.

THINGS I ENJOY:

  • A hooky premise - unique, intriguing, and can be summarized in a sentence or two

  • Historically marginalized voices 

  • Speculative fiction elements

  • Genre blending

  • Multiple PoV with differentiated characters

  • Braided narratives

  • Love triangles, only one bed, mutual pining, fake dating, slow burn

  • Tight knit extended families

  • Found families

  • Morally gray characters

  • Mysteries slowly revealed

  • Plot twists

  • Lush, cinematic settings & atmospheric descriptions

  • Dystopians, disasters, & plagues

  • Fantasy inspired by real life culture, history, fables, folklore, and mythology

  • Sci-fi - both low and high, preference for survival type situations

BOOKS I LOVE:

(An eclectic selection that goes beyond the ages and genres I’m accepting, for the purpose of relaying vibes)

THE LAST CUENTISTA (Donna Barba Higuera), IVELIZ EXPLAINS IT ALL (Andrea Beatriz Arango), FRIZZY (Claribel Ortega), IRON WIDOW (Xiran Jae Zhao), ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE (Benjamin Alire Sáenz), THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER (Andrea Stewart), THE CRUEL PRINCE (Holly Black), FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES (Sher Lee), THE LESBIANA’S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Sonora Reyes), FABLE (Adrienne Young), THE POET X (Elizabeth Acevedo), SIX OF CROWS (Leigh Bardugo), THE GILDED WOLVES (Roshani Chokski), THEY CALL HER FREGONA (David Bowles), THE MARTIAN (Andy Weir), THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY (Matta Haig), THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUÍDEA DIVINA (Zoraida Córdova), MEXICAN GOTHIC (Silvia Moreno-Garcia), BABEL (R.F. Kuang), SAGA (Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples), STATION ELEVEN (Emily St. John Mandel), MOON OF THE CRUSTED SNOW (Waubgeshig Rose)

What I’m Not Looking For

  • Historically marginalized main characters written by non-marginalized creators

  • Mesoamerican mythology & shapeshifter/vampire-esque creatures (due to conflict of interest)

  • Contemporary, thrillers, murder mysteries, psychological horror

  • Dual timelines

  • Stories set in or inspired by Europe or WWII

  • Racism/sexism/bigotry as driving themes

  • Children harmed on page

  • Excessive gore or body horror

  • Sexual assault on or off the page

  • Consensual non-consent, dubious non-consent

  • Animal characters

  • Religious themes or angels/demons

  • Non-happy endings