Beth Kander

Beth Kander is a writer with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. The granddaughter of immigrants, her work often explores how worlds old and new intertwine—or collide. Described as a “genre-defying author and playwright” (Oxford American), her work has been called “riveting” and “habit-forming.”

Beth earned an MSW from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mississippi University for Women, where she now serves as visiting faculty. Her darkly funny debut novel, I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY, hits shelves in December 2024 (MIRA Books / HarperCollins). She currently calls Chicago home, and is lucky to live there with her very favorite characters: her heroic husband, their two hilarious kids, and a giant rescue dog named Oz. Right this moment, she’s probably revising a scene while drinking too much coffee. Representation: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio.