Michael Solis is the author of the YA sci-fi novel Deficient, winner of a Reviewers’ Choice Award from YADudeBooks and nominee for the Pushcart Prize, the Stonewall Book Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. He serves as Executive Director of Writers & Books, a literary arts nonprofit and independent bookstore in Rochester, NY, and is an active member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), where he co-chairs the MG/YA Committee.

For nearly two decades, Michael worked in development and humanitarian action across Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Latin America. A graduate of Princeton University, he also holds master’s degrees in Human Rights Law and Gender Studies.

Drawing from his queer identity and global humanitarian work, Michael’s stories explore power, belonging, and transformation. Beyond the page, he enjoys teaching yoga and creating spaces where people can connect through story.