Mallory Pearson
Mallory Pearson is a writer and artist portraying themes of folklore, queer identity, loss, and the interaction of these elements with the southern United States. She studied painting and bookbinding, and now spends her time translating visual art into prose. She is an avid fan of horror movies and elaborate stews cooked in big witchy pots. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Capsule Stories, and Haverthorn Press, among others. Mallory lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her dearest friends.
Q: How did the idea for VOICE LIKE A HYACINTH come about? I read in the acknowledgements about the inspiration from your own group of artist friends, but how did it all come together?
Writing VOICE LIKE A HYACINTH was an indulgent, nostalgic experience. I studied painting at Pratt Institute and formed my core group of friends there, and they inspired many of the inside jokes, stories, and personality traits of my characters in HYACINTH. I wanted to talk about the insular and intense experience of art school while also focusing on how beautiful queer platonic friendships can be in such a challenging environment. I also craved a Dark Academic book that focused on lesbians, so I decided to write it myself.
These Sapphic Stories Book Club author profiles are compiled by founder Aliya Bree Hall. Aliya is a freelance journalist and author who founded the book club in 2021 to uplift sapphic stories and celebrate LGBTQ+ authors. This excerpt has been lifted from an interview Aliya conducted with our October 2025 author. You can read the full Q&A by joining the book club.
