Welcome to the website for Katie Khan, author of acclaimed speculative fiction novels Hold Back the Stars and The Light Between Us.

Hello, I’m Katie.

I write speculative fiction – stories that imagine what the world will look like one or two steps beyond where we are now. I like to imagine the impossible and make it possible, even if only on the page!

I live in London, love to read, and I’m Creative Director at the online writing school The Novelry. I spent fifteen years in the film industry at major studios including Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures working on science fiction and fantasy films. So far, I’ve published two novels with Penguin Random House.

Discover more about my books, read the latest news on the blog, and contact me right here on my website.

Warmly,

All author photography by Sharron Gibson.

Photo of speculative fiction author Katie Khan who wrote Hold Back the Stars pictured at home with her cat Artie Flufkin reading books

Notes from the Near Future a Substack by Katie Khan

My books

Hold Back the Stars

A few years from now, not too far in the future, two people meet.
It’s a classic story of boy meets girl.
Except that it’s not.
When we find them, they have an hour and a half left.
Unless they can save themselves, they won’t survive.
The clock is ticking.

Bittersweet and life-affirming, Hold Back the Stars is the love story of the year.

Buy the book

“A high-stakes, high-concept love story from a bold new talent”

— Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library
“The most unique love story I’ve read in years”

— Rowan Coleman, author of The Summer of Impossible Things
“A beautiful, moving, truly original tale. I loved this book for taking me by surprise”

— Renee Knight, author of Disclaimer
“Dazzling... A truly stellar debut, full of wonder and heart”

— Emma Jane Unsworth, author of Animals
“Terrific – a beautiful story”

— Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
“Gorgeous, brilliant, heartbreaking... a love story to remember”

— Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You
“Imaginatively assured, Hold Back the Stars packs real emotional punch”

— Laline Paull, author of The Bees
“Hauntingly beautiful and totally unique”

— Sarah J. Harris, author of The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder

“The new One Day”

— Stylist

“An incredibly imaginative debut”

— Sunday Mirror

“Melds an emotional love story with a tale of a space mission gone very wrong”

— Guardian

“Intriguing and moving – a love story that’s out of this world ★★★★”

— Sunday Express

“An edge-of-your-seat tale”

— Vogue

“A tense survival story with an unexpected ending ★★★★”

— The Sun

“Original, surprising and romantic”

— Woman and Home

“As thought provoking as it is wrenching, prepare to shed tears ★★★★”

— Heat

“A space romance with a political edge”

— Irish Times

“Gravity meets The Versions of Us”

— Red Magazine

“A unique take on the usual dystopian fiction... a worthy read which will keep you up past bedtime ★★★★”

— Sci-Fi Now

“Just the ticket if you’re looking to get lost in a breathless love story”

— Grazia