Olivia Gatwood is the author of two poetry collections, New American Best Friend and Life of the Party. Her debut novel, Whoever You Are, Honey, was released in 2024, which she will also adapt for the screen. She has received international recognition for her poetry, writing workshops, and work as a Title IX Compliant educator in sexual assault prevention and recovery. Her performances have been featured on HBO, HuffPost, MTV, VH1, and the BBC, and more. Her poems have appeared in The Poetry Foundation, Sundance Film Festival, Lambda Literary, and The Missouri Review. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, she lives in California.
Set against the backdrop of an AI pioneer’s murder, Whoever You Are, Honey is built on simmering tensions at the precipice of boiling over, marked by a distinct strain of techno-pessimism endemic to someone who grew up during the rise of Silicon Valley. The twin themes of women’s loneliness and desire are the timeless beating hearts of Olivia Gatwood’s debut novel, propped up by of-the-moment ruminations on queerness and artificial intelligence . . . vivid storytelling * Vogue * Sharp, captivating, and apt - an intimate, pitch-perfect fable of the time, I immediately went back to the start. -- Yrsa Daley-Ward, author of The Terrible A sensual, detail-rich, utterly immersive novel. So propulsive and atmospheric (and at times creepy), I never wanted to put it down and longed for its company when not turning the pages. A gorgeous reading experience -- Jenny Mustard As lush and hypnotic as a dreampop album, this is an intoxicating debut about two women, each carrying a dark secret, who desire more than they've been allowed to want. -- Leigh Stein, author of Self Care A gorgeous, haunting, tender story of women finding different kinds of love and solace in each other, Whoever You Are, Honey looks directly into the deep, dark depths of what makes us alive - and what sustains that life. I loved every minute of it. -- Gabrielle Korn, author of Yours for the Taking