Reuben "Tihi" Hayslett

Writer, Activist, Storyteller

Reuben "Tihi" Hayslett is a queer author and activist whose work boldly confronts identity, power, and resistance. His debut short story collection, Dark Corners, was named Best Fiction of 2019 by Kirkus Reviews, earning acclaim for its unflinching exploration of marginalized experiences.

His highly anticipated science fiction novel, Orbital Bebop, was published in March 2026. The book spans the solar system and nearly a millennium of human history, following queer people of color as they navigate love, resistance, and the fight for justice across planets and time. Through memory work, vulnerability, and community, the novel confronts both the persistence of oppression and the seeds of humanity's potential redemption.

Currently, Tihi serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Story-based Strategy, an organization that trains progressive activists and organizers in narrative strategy for social change. Click here to learn more about the organization and how you can connect to their amazing work.

Hayslett's next novel, The Lovers' Bridge: An Io Rodriguez Mystery, is scheduled for release in 2027. This gripping queer-pulp mystery follows Io Rodriguez, a former 90s child star navigating Puerto Vallarta's vibrant nightlife, as he uncovers financial intrigue at the city's premier live music venue while hiding a monstrous secret of his own.

Through his writing and activism, Hayslett views art as a form of protest—a way to make visible the experiences of those often rendered invisible, and to challenge the systems of oppression that shape our world. His stories are not explicitly political, but politics hover unmistakably through all of them, grounding even their most magical elements in the realities of contemporary life.