I write speculative fiction and essays that use anthropology to explore how people and societies can transform toward more just, cooperative futures.

Through dystopian science fiction, dark fantasy horror, and cultural criticism, my work examines power, trauma, resistance, and the stories we tell about who we can become.

About Me

What we imagine matters. The stories we tell guide our imagination and the world we want to build.

I am an author, anthropologist, and educator with an M.S. in Anthropology from Portland State University. My work draws on academic research, lived experience, and storytelling to explore how cultures change, how people reclaim agency, and how we might build futures that move beyond colonialism, extraction, and exploitation.

In 2021, I gave a TEDx Talk titled: Anthropology, Our Imagination, and Understanding Difference I regularly write and speak about culture, literature, and social transformation.

Fiction & Books

Speculative Fiction & Novels

Shades and Shapes in the Dark
A dark fantasy horror series about trauma, healing, and the moment people reclaim their power and refuse the systems that harmed them. Purchase the book here

The Chronicles of the Great Migration
A dystopian science fiction series exploring social systems, cultural transformation, and collective survival in changing worlds. You can find the first book of the series, Mimi of the Nowhere, here.

Nonfiction & Worldbuilding

Build Better Worlds: An Introduction to Anthropology for Game Designers, Fiction Writers, and Filmmakers
An anthropology informed guide for writers, game designers, and storytellers interested in creating cultures that feel real, complex, and alive. Find our book here.

Resistance Reads is a podcast about books, culture, power, and resistance. Each episode explores literature, including speculative fiction and horror, through an anthropological and political lens. The show asks how stories shape our understanding of justice, cooperation, and social change. We stream live episodes on YouTube every three weeks or you can find it here and on all your major podcast services

Newsletter / Substack

Subscribe to my Substack, Loridian’s Laboratory for:

• Original essays and cultural analysis
• Worldbuilding tips
• Short fiction and excerpts
• Podcast updates and behind the scenes writing notes

This is the best way to stay connected to my work.

Why Loridian’s Laboratory

This site is a space for experimentation. It is a place to test ideas, stories, and frameworks for understanding how humans create meaning, power, and possibility.

Everything here is part of an ongoing inquiry into how we can imagine and build better worlds together.

Status of Major Works In Progress:

The Children of AEIS (Chronicles of the Great Migration #5)

First Draft: 75% Complete

Through An Endless Darkness Gleaming (Shades & Shapes in the Dark #2)

First Draft: 60% Complete

Secret Sci-Fi Project

First Draft: 80% Complete