#307 A Study in Secrets with Lynn D. Jung

This week, we're running a takeover in collaboration with AuthorTuber Lynn D. Jung. This contest’s winner will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive a special bonus prize: personal feedback from Lynn! Here's what she has to say about her takeover:

Hello, writers! I’m Lynn D. Jung, a science fiction and fantasy author who’s also been documenting my writing and publishing journey on YouTube since 2020. My debut novel, Mothsblood, is forthcoming from Bloomsbury US and Del Rey UK in the fall of 2026. Mothsblood is a dark academia adult fantasy about a talented alchemist on the run from her past.

I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time in academic settings, both as a student and a teacher. As a result, dark academia has always called to me. However, while I adore the gloomy aesthetics and snobby characters heavily associated with the genre, the best dark academia, to me, unflinchingly explores the ugliness of academic institutions, which often have deep roots in colonialism, classism, and exclusion.

This week’s contest is designed to reflect the many facets of this popular genre. Whether your story falls under the umbrella of fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, literary fiction, or something else entirely, an academic setting isn’t mandatory, but encouraged. As stated above, I am particularly interested in pieces that take a nuanced look at the underbelly of institutions — put the dark in dark academia.