E. S. O. Martin is a Polish-American author and illustrator creating middle grade and young adult fantasy steeped in Slavic folklore, history, and myth. Her stories feature brave young heroes, haunted landscapes, and quiet magic hiding in the trees. 

She’s the recipient of a Poets & Writers grant for The Wood Maiden, an illustrated historical fantasy set in 19th-century Poland. She’s been a featured reader with Patron Saints of Influence and blogs about Eastern European legends at Slavic Spirits. 

E. S. O. Martin holds an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She has worked as an editor, publisher, and as an award-winning journalist. Her adult fiction has appeared in Flaunt Magazine, Every Day Fiction, The-Tusk, and more. She is the author of Candid Family Portrait: A Novel About Early Parenthood, and the speculative short story collection What We Talk About When We Talk About the Apocalypse.

A former three-time junior Olympic fencer, she now enjoys staying fit, traveling with her family, vegan cooking, knitting, and studying Polish.

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December 18, 2025 UPDATE:

E. S. O. Martin and her family are currently in the process of moving from the United States to Poland.

In order to make the transition easier, she has decided to close all USA-based operations, for the time being.

If you would like to get in contact with E. S. O. Martin, please visit her contacts page for the most up-to-date information.