Andrea Hairston ran away from the physics lab to the theatre when she was a young thing and has been a scientist, artiste, and hoodoo conjurer ever since. She is a novelist, poet, playwright, and L. Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor Emerita of Theatre and Africana Studies at Smith College. She is the author of Mindscape, a Carl Brandon Award winner and finalist for the Phillip K. Dick and Otherwise Awards; Archangels of Funk, shortlisted for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction; Will Do Magic for Small Change, a New York Times Editor's pick and finalist for the Mythopoeic, Lambda, and Otherwise Awards; Redwood and Wildfire, a Washington Post Best Book of 2022, Otherwise and Carl Brandon Award winner; and Master of Poisons on the Kirkus Reviews 2020 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy. Andrea bikes at night year-round, meeting bears, multi-legged creatures of light and breath, and the occasional shooting star.

Praise for The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays

"Romance, murder, and the goodest dog detective! Although this book is brimming with everyday magic and the quirkiest cast of characters, Andrea Hairston conveys a story that is, at its core, intensely human. People, doing the best they can, wherever they can. The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays will be another instant favorite!" --Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea

"Immerse yourself in the brave, brilliant, and beautiful world of Andrea Hairston's unparalleled imagination. This book is a gift, a warm embrace in the darkness of winter; it's a story that beckons us in, then challenges us, changes us, and breaks and remakes the world with its song. Conjuring at its best." --Daniel José Older, author of Shadowshaper

"Andrea Hairston's latest is the perfect antidote to these unbelievable times. Readers are going to devour this, page by page. Hairston writes with a terrific cinematic eye and an unmatched ear for the humor and rhythm of community. I had a blast navigating this original sci-fi mystery, complete with a dab of dog and a trail of killer clues. This novel is exactly the kind of vibrant, high-voltage storytelling we need right now. The story vibrates with a visceral, original humor that refuses to pull its punches. Hairston wonderfully captures a community frequency that is unapologetic and vibrantly alive, proving that even when the doors of mercy are shuttered and there is no answer, the music of existence plays on--spectacular, defiant, and loud." --Sheree Renée Thomas, author of Mojorhythm & Nine Bar Blues

"Hairston balances a phantasmagoria of mystical and interdimensional elements with a cast of sharply drawn characters, creating very real-feeling people moving through a delightfully irreal world. The result is a lively and lovely tale of community triumphing over evil." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Much as Oona pushes past the bounds of the universe, Hairston's novel stretches dizzyingly beyond the edges of the sci-fi genre to craft an unforgettable story of community." --Library Journal

Praise for Archangels of Funk

"Full of magical technology and theater kid drama, Archangels of Funk is an utter delight. Andrea Hairston welcomes us into a future of ambient queerness and eco-anarchy, where subversive heroes outsmart dystopia-chasing capitalists with their Funkadelic vibes. Reading this book gave me good dreams -- and in these dark times, that is no small feat." --Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers and Autonomous

"The music of Hairston's prose and her characters' approach to conflict set the novel apart...This cross between Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler and Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono deserves a place in every library." --Library Journal, starred review

"Andrea Hairston's Archangels of Funk forced me to rewire my brain chemistry. I've never read anything remotely like Archangels of Funk. It's an ambitious novel, and Hairston has the craft to make it work. Go in expecting a demanding experience, but your attention will be rewarded. I came out of the experience with a good taste in my mouth - one I've never felt before and hope to again." --Locus

"A post-apocalyptic groove of a novel that reads like magic and feels like a song. Hairston's prose pulls the reader in with pop-culture references and wild metaphors...Recommended for fans of Nalo Hopkinson and Nnedi Okorafor." --Booklist

"Magnificent...A multisensory plunge into a dystopian future of climate crisis." --Publishers Weekly

More Praise for Andrea Hairston

"A beautifully multifaceted story...with deep, layered, powerful characters. Highly recommended." ―The New York Times on Will Do Magic for Small Change

"Andrea Hairston's vision is breathtaking. She weaves sweeping historical narratives and mythology with the wisdom of the elders, and shines light on the pressing issues of the day. In her hands, language is a blessing, and the familiar and the fantastic become magic, one and the same." ―Sheree Renée Thomas on Will Do Magic for Small Change

"The entire work is filled with magic, celebrating West Africans, Native Americans, art, and love that transcends simple binary genders. Hairston's novel is a completely original and stunning work." --Publishers Weekly on Will Do Magic for Small Change

"This book glitters with West African magic, unconventional love, and creatures you won't forget." --BuzzFeed on Will Do Magic for Small Change

"This book's lyrical language and unsparing vision make it a mind-expanding must-read." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review on Master of Poisons

"This is an urgent, gorgeous work." --Publishers Weekly, starred review on Master of Poisons

Publisher: Tor Books

Pub date: 2026-05-26

Length: 416 pages