Iโ€™m Bradley, a Colorado-based fantasy writer working on my debut novel, Crystals of Ulstra, a queer epic fantasy exploring themes of found family, environmental conservation, resistance against tyranny, immortality and legacy, and hope over fear.

Bradley Bowen

I was born and raised in North Texas. For the past seven years, Iโ€™ve called Northern Colorado home. By day I work as a digital fundraiser and strategist, helping progressive causes and candidates raise millions to advance justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. Those same values of empathy and interconnection shape the stories I tell. Iโ€™ve been an ethical vegan since 2019, and my respect for all living beings often seeps into my worldbuilding: forests that breathe, creatures that feel, magic fueled by human emotions, and societies striving toward balance and harmony with the world rather than violence or conquest.

When Iโ€™m not writing, Iโ€™m probably at a concertโ€”I’ve recently averaged fifteen to twenty shows a year. My playlists run from Dolly Parton (my eternal number one) to the Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, and Charley Crockett. I collect vinyl records, practice acoustic guitar, and keep a 1,000+ day Duolingo streak in French lessons.

Iโ€™ve loved fantasy books and stories for as long as I can remember. Mary Stewartโ€™s Merlin trilogy first sparked my fascination with myth and magic, while Ursula K. Le Guin, J. R. R. Tolkien, N. K. Jemisin, Andrzej Sapkowski, Brandon Sanderson, and Robert Jordan deepened that love. More recently, I’ve been inspired by the new wave of queer and queer-friendly fantasy authors who have expanded the genre. All of these worlds taught me that wonder and moral courage belong together.