This event takes place at the Decatur Library. This event is free and open to the public but registration is requested.
Charis and the Georgia Center for the Book welcome Mia Tsai in conversation with L. D. Lewis for a discussion of The Memory Hunters, a sapphic, dark academia-adjacent, climate dystopia -- with mushrooms.
A cinematic, slow burn, romantic fantasy following a headstrong academic and her equally stubborn bodyguard as they unearth an ancient secret that rocks the foundations of their society…and challenges their unspoken love for one another.
Kiana Strade can dive deeper into blood memories than anyone alive. But instead of devoting her talents to the temple she’s meant to lead, Key wants to do research for the Museum of Human Memory. . . and to avoid the public eye.
Valerian IV's twin swords protect Key from murderous rivals and her own enthusiasm alike. Vale cares about Key as a friend—and maybe more—but most of all, she needs to keep her job so she can support her parents and siblings in the storm-torn south.
But when Key collects a memory that diverges from official history, only Vale sees the fallout. Key’s mentor suspiciously dismisses the finding; her powerful mother demands she stop research altogether. And Key, unusually affected by the memory, begins to lose moments, then minutes, then days.
As Vale becomes increasingly entangled in Key’s obsessive drive for answers, the women uncover a shattering discovery—and a devastating betrayal. Key and Vale can remain complicit, or they can jeopardize everything for the truth.
Either way, Key is becoming consumed by the past in more ways than one, and time is running out.
About the Author
Mia Tsai is a Taiwanese American author of speculative fiction, including Bitter Medicine and The Memory Hunters. An editor at GigaNotoSaurus, a 2024 Hugo Finalist for Best Semi-pro Zine, she is also a musician, teacher, and erstwhile photographer who attended Carnegie Mellon University and Georgia State University. She lives in the Atlanta area with her family, and, when not writing, is a hype woman for her orchids and devoted cat gopher. She can be found online at MiaTsai.com, itsamia.bsky.social on BlueSky, and @mia.tsai.books on Instagram and Tiktok.
About the Conversation Partner
L. D. Lewis (she/her) is an editor and Shirley Jackson award-nominated writer of speculative fiction, co-founder for the World Fantasy and Hugo Award-winning FIYAH Literary Magazine, and (formerly) researcher for the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. She also runs the Ignyte Awards and pays the bills as a literary nonprofit administrator at Lambda Literary and Clarion West. Upcoming titles include novella The Dead Withheld (Neon Hemlock, 2025), and her debut novel Year of the Mer is forthcoming from Saga Press in 2026. She lives in Georgia on perpetual deadline with her partner, two cats, and an impressive LEGO build collection. Read more at ldlewiswrites.com.
About the venue:
Masks are encouraged but not required.
This event takes place in the auditorium of the Decatur Library. It is fully wheelchair accessible with free parking right outside the building.
The event is free and open to all people, but we encourage and appreciate a donation of $5-20 in support of the work of Charis Circle, our programming non-profit. Charis Circle's mission is to foster sustainable feminist communities, work for social justice, and encourage the expression of diverse and marginalized voices. Donate via our website: www.chariscircle.org/donate.
Please contact us at info@chariscircle.org or 404-524-0304 if you would like ASL interpretation at this event.
By attending our event, you agree to our Code of Conduct: Our event seeks to provide a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), class, or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Unsolicited sexual language and imagery are not appropriate. Anyone violating these rules will be expelled from this event and all future events at the discretion of the organizers. Please report all harassment to Charis staff immediately or email info@chariscircle.org.
