Profile

Cory McCarthy (he/they) is the acclaimed author of four YA novels, as well as a forthcoming coauthored space fantasy duology and a nonfiction picture book about Arab American poet Kahlil Gibran.

Kirkus hailed his lyrical science fiction debut The Color of Rain as “an elegantly written and emotionally cathartic page-turner.” His futuristic thriller Breaking Sky is in development to become a major motion picture, and his contemporary You Were Here combines word art poetry, graphic novel, and prose. Cory’s feminist romcom Now a Major Motion Picture is, according to Kirkus, “a war cry and a love letter all at once,” and his novel in verse won the MG category of the Katherine Paterson Prize.

Cory holds a BA and MFA in creative writing, as well as a degree in screenwriting. He cofounded the annual Rainbow Writers Workshop with his partner and, like many of his characters, is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

 

 

Education

MFA - WCYA | VCFA

Postgraduate Certificate - Screenwriting | UCLA

BA - Creative Writing | Ohio University

Selected work

Martine Leavitt

Faculty, MFA in WCYA; Alumnx Mini-Residency

Laura Shovan

Faculty, MFA in WCYA

Linda Urban

Faculty Chair, MFA in WCYA

Erica Perl

Faculty, MFA in WCYA

Mary Quattlebaum

Faculty, MFA in WCYA

Matt Phelan

Faculty, MFA in WCYA