Olivia Abtahi

Genres: YA Fiction & Screenwriting

Olivia Abtahi is a film director and writer based in Denver, Colorado. Born to an Iranian father and an Argentine mother, she is a melting pot of distinct cultures. Growing up in the DC area, Olivia always had a passion for cinema and storytelling. She is a graduate of NYU Film School and VCU Brandcenter, and has lived in New York, San Francisco, Richmond Virginia, and Dublin, Ireland. She holds a BFA and MaSC.

Her debut novel, Perfectly Parvin, was published in 2021 by Penguin Random House Putnam Books For Young Readers, receiving starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Best of 2021 lists from the Chicago and New York Public Library systems. It is also the recipient of the ALA Odyssey Awards Honor and the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards Honor. Her sophomore novel, Azar on Fire, will be published in August 2022, with her middle grade debut in 2024 titled Rostam and the Red Dwarf. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and daughter. In her spare time, she enjoys watching music videos, laughing so hard it hurts, and hunting down gluten-free pastries.

Mentor Statement

As a published author, I was never encouraged to write or continue my path to storytelling. Hence, my mentorship style is one of firm positivity. Writing is an act of courage, and the sheer will it takes to transpose an idea from your brain to paper is nothing short of incredible. My goal is to help writers find their confidence and write the books they want to see in the world. To be the mentor I never had. And, selfishly, to bring forth new books that myself and the world will desperately want to read.

During our time together, students should prepare for extensive feedback on their manuscripts, conversations about related titles, talks about next steps and ways to move past writing obstacles, and constant cheerleading.