Dara Kountz is an urban fantasy author whose work blends speculative worlds, dark humor, and character-driven storytelling. Born in Alaska, raised in Arizona, and now living in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, Dara draws inspiration from both genre fiction and fandom culture.

Her writing ranges from micro-fiction and short stories to full-length novels, with a current focus on urban fantasy and dark fantasy. She is the author of the urban fantasy novel Don’t Call Me Hero and the supernatural fantasy Hold My Bunny. In addition to her novels, Dara offers limited-run horror and dark fantasy micro-fiction — including Blood Moon Hunt, Little Red Riding Cap, and Soul Sword — which are available for purchase at live events.

Dara began her writing journey in fan fiction, where she developed her voice before turning to original work. Known for juggling multiple projects at once, she thrives on building imaginative worlds filled with morally complicated characters. Her literary inspirations include Naomi Novik, T. Kingfisher, and Georgette Heyer.

Outside of writing, Dara is a frequent presence at comic conventions, where she presents panels and connects with fellow creators and readers. Her hobbies include sewing, cosplay, LARPing, game mastering tabletop RPGs, exploring manhwas and webtoons, and spending time at the gym.

With future projects currently in development, Dara focuses on writing ahead to ensure complete, satisfying story arcs for her readers. Fun, quirky, and endlessly creative, she invites readers to explore the stories available now — and to follow along as new worlds continue to take shape.