SFF & horror writer with a focus on complex dark stories that feature trans and queer characters
Hi there! I'm Oleander Craw (they/he), a writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror. My work often revolves around themes of identity and power, featuring complex and flawed queer characters doing their best. I'm a big fan of examining the monstrous while getting weird with it. (Also did I mention I love stories with dragons?) Some of my biggest writing influences come from growing up on a voracious diet of books from the likes of authors such as Robin Hobb, Tanith Lee and Garth Nix.
I have always enjoyed stories that aren't afraid to meander into a dark and weird place, that illuminate the monstrous, and leave me irrevocably changed by the time I've closed the book. My goal is to self publish the stories that I have always wanted to see.
When I'm not writing I can be found lurking around Connecticut or devoting my time to my ever growing garden. I also enjoying lifting very heavy things and putting them back down repeatedly.
FAQs
Why did you decide to serialize The Wards Will Fall?
I wrote this book during a weird period of my life when I was figuring things out in 2018. This book ended up being a big part of that, but I put it away to work on other projects. I have several books planned in a series that follow Maxwell. This was a good way to ensure I gave the attention to this series that I want to give it and share it with anyone else who might resonate with it.
Why do I have to sign up to read past Chapter 5 of The Wards Will Fall?
I wanted to make the chapter releases fully public, but with the rise of genAI ripping from stolen work, I wanted to make it harder for bots to steal my writing. This does mean the rest of the serialized novel is behind a subscription wall, but it seemed like the best compromise I could find to protect the writing I worked hard on and ensure I can continue to write sustainably.
Can I read a full copy of The Wards Will Fall without waiting for weekly posts?
At the moment, no. At some point I plan to have subscription tiers if you'd like to read ahead (or read the full thing!). I also plan to eventually release The Wards Will Fall in e-book format after I finished releasing the book.
Is there a way to read chapters ahead of time of The Wards Will Fall?
Not yet! I plan to offer a paid subscription tier in the future to read several chapters ahead.
Do you have other writing I can read?
I am currently working on a few different novels and short stories along with the serial The Wards Will Fall. Devouring Fortune is set to be published in 2026, release date TBD. I have several other novels planned for future release, including a separate series set in the same universe as The Wards Will Fall.
What can I expect from subscribing to your newsletter?
Besides the weekly chapter releases of The Wards Will Fall, subscribing gives you access to the audio narration of each chapter and the ability to leave comments. You can also expect a monthly update post with news, writing thoughts, garden-related ramblings and sneak peeks. I also plan to offer ARCs of upcoming novels.
What's your stance on AI?
It's trash! I don't use genAI/LLM in any stage of my writing and I don't work with anyone who uses it either.