Fantasy author · Writing from Iceland
Stories for the dreamers, the defiant, and the stubbornly hopeful.
Make yourself at home
I’m Shirah, a Jesus-obsessed California > Utah > Iceland transplant who still hasn’t figured out how to answer the simple question, “So where are you from?” I live off-grid in something resembling a home among Icelandic lupine fields, where the sea winds howl, the solar panels pray for sun, and the generator breaks just often enough to keep life interesting.
I’m a mother of four wildlings, keeper of one ditzy cat, and wife to an annoyingly talented husband. In between all that, I somehow find time to write wild-hearted, thought-provoking fantasy to make sense of this complicated but delightful world. When I’m not wrangling children, manuscripts, or questioning my sanity, you can find me (begrudgingly) bossing up to brave new challenges… and quietly having a little cry about it behind the scenes.
With peanut butter. Lots and lots of peanut butter.
More about me
The debut · Coming 2027
She knows the sea. He knows the lore.
Together, they’re the only ones who can stop an empire.
For pirate captain Calypso Blackthorn, Siren’s Snare holds more than gold. At its heart lies a power capable of undoing her greatest mistake. But the Guild’s warships are closing in, intent on turning that ancient magic into a weapon of total dominion.
Perfect for fans of Fable, For the Wolf, and Firefly.
Calypso’s playlist · Anarchy Era
Stories still sailing toward shore.
Current manuscript
In a metropolis built on the broken bones of a labor uprising, a brutal war between the corporate Syndicate and the Commonwealth has turned the working class into fuel. Meanwhile, deep in the slums, their people are choking on everyone else’s revolution.
By M & S Ólafsson
A charismatic merchant has been accused of murder. To reclaim his honor, he must navigate the wilds of Iceland, face vengeful giants, and outwit the political schemes of negligent gods.
Co-written with my husband, Matti.
The Song of the Deep · Coming 2027
The Sea is calling. Care to answer? Go on. Have a peek.
Swipe to turn the page
Playlists
Fair warning: it’s a little eclectic in here.
Pirate captains, reluctant revolutionaries, instrumental writing sessions, and enough nostalgia to make you miss your old MP3 player.
Letters from the Lighthouse
Consider this an invitation to become pen pals! I’ll write with news from my fictional worlds, sneak peeks and cover reveals, release news, and whatever else has captured my imagination lately. Occasionally, inspiration might strike and you’ll find a personal essay or an impassioned ramble in your inbox.
And please, write back! I’d love to hear what’s happening in your corner of the world, too. No pressure, of course. But what good is a pen pal who does all the talking?
Written with care. Sent occasionally. Unsubscribe anytime.
Journal
“You can’t deplete a resource that regenerates every time I say ‘No.’”Read the essay
“Cynicism asks nothing of us. Hope demands that we act.”
Coming soon
“Make it messy. Make it weird. And for heaven’s sake, make it alive.”
Coming soon
