Rae Giana Rashad writes literary fiction rooted in Texas, often layered with historical and speculative elements that explore memory, inheritance, and the legacies we carry across generations.

Her debut novel, The Blueprint, was a finalist for the PEN Open Book Award and the Writers’ League of Texas Book Award. In it, she blends speculative and historical storytelling to examine questions of freedom, belonging, and truth. Her work has also appeared in Literary Hub, where she writes about the intersections of race and generational legacy.

Rashad holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. Her background in education shapes her belief in the power of storytelling to preserve history through the lived experiences of women and what those moments meant for their survival, agency, and memory.

Born and raised in Texas, she draws inspiration from its landscapes, histories, and contradictions, situating her work in a place both deeply personal and politically charged. 

Her second novel, Sweet Water, a work of literary historical fiction, is forthcoming from Harper. She lives in Dallas with her family. 

“Texas forever, like Bun B.”