Makayla Nielson

Makayla Nielson

 Makayla Nielson was raised in Normal, Illinois and currently resides in Lehi, Utah with her husband and three (almost four!) children. When she's not writing, she's out on adventures in the canyons near her home, watching science fiction movies, or crocheting (always with a snack or two within reach). 

She has written short stories for Manawaker Studio's Flash Fiction Podcast, Twisted Tales, Tall Tale TV, Flash Fiction Magazine, Balloons Lit. Journal, Inkpot Literary Magazine, Stance: Studies on the Family, and Collective Tales Publishing.

Makayla earned a bachelor's degree in Family Studies emphasizing Human Development, and a Gerontology minor from Brigham Young University, and a master's degree in Gerontology from the University of Utah.

Books

Darkness 102: Advanced Lessons Were Learned

Class is back in session-welcome to Darkness 102: Advanced Lessons Were Learned.

From the award-winning creators of Darkness 101 comes the next terrifying installment in the Darkness series. In 2023, Darkness 101: Lessons Were Learned dared readers to pay the cost of knowledge-earning the League of Utah Writers’ Must-Read award. Now, the stakes...

Twisted Tales: Short Fiction and Poetry by the Infinite Monkeys Chapter of the League of Utah Writers

Twisted Tales are adventures that surprise, with endings that astonish, making stories that linger. Travel with us as we dare the uncertain and explore the complexities of fiction, sure to run into the unexpected turn and haunting completion. Another excellent endeavor from the Infinite Monkeys.

Chimera's Blood

My co-author, Alexandra Ely, and I are thrilled to announce that Jumpmaster Press is set to publish our dystopian novel, Chimera’s Blood. As we dive into the editing process, we encourage you to stay tuned for the release date and cover reveal, and enjoy a variety of exciting story extras along the way. Get ready for an incredible journey!

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Latest Updates

August 31, 2025

I had the incredible opportunity yesterday to join Collective Tales Publishing for the launch of their newest anthology, Darkness 102: Advanced...

May 23, 2025

Our first co-author interview on Words, Images, & Worlds with Jason Dehart is LIVE! We're so grateful for this opportunity and the chance to...

May 20, 2025

The first installment of the League of Utah Writers series Collaboration in the Writing Process focuses on working with a sensitivity reader....

March 30, 2025

Presentation created for the Pre-Quill Conference, put on by The League of Utah Writers. March 29, 2025. You can find a copy of the slides, along...

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Other Writing

A short story written for Tall Tale TV's YouTube channel, narrated by Christopher Herron. Listen for free by clicking the link below! Please leave...

A short story written for Manawaker Studio's Flash Fiction Podcast on Spotify. Listen for free by clicking the link below! Please leave a comment...

A short story written for Inkpot Literary Journal. Read it for free by clicking the link below! Please leave a comment and let me know your...

I had the privilege of writing a guest blog post for Collective Tales Publishing on the topic of Writing Fiction from Experience. Click the link...

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