Hafdis Hafsteins is a children’s book and YA fantasy author, illustrator, and lifelong lover of stories in all their forms.

Having spent her childhood with one foot in Reykjavík and the other in the Icelandic countryside, she grew up surrounded by contrasts — city and nature, tradition and imagination. These dual influences continue to shape her work, which often draws from folklore, mythology, and the quiet magic found in everyday moments.

Her love for stories began early. Books were a constant presence growing up, and to this day, she can count on receiving at least one every Christmas. Reading and writing have always felt less like hobbies and more like a way of understanding the world.

Before fully committing to a creative path, Hafdis spent several years working at a veterinary hospital, where her deep love for animals was evident. While meaningful, the work left her longing for something more enchanted — a space where creativity, wonder, and storytelling could take center stage. That longing eventually found its way into her debut book, The Chameleon Which Lost Its Colour, where she united her passions for animals and storytelling.

In 2022, Hafdis enrolled in the BA in English program at the University of Iceland to deepen her understanding of language and literature and to lay a strong foundation for her future as a writer. Her studies continue to inform her work and have helped shape her YA fantasy duology, The Land Wight Chronicles.

Alongside literature, music has always been another source of inspiration. Hafdis discovered K-pop in 2008, a genre that sparked a lasting interest in Korean culture and storytelling. That interest eventually led her to live in Seoul for six months, where she studied Korean and experienced daily life in a culture she had long admired.

In 2017, she discovered Stray Kids through their survival show — a moment that quietly changed the way she engaged with creativity, fandom, and community. What began as admiration for their music and artistry grew into something more reflective and imaginative, eventually inspiring The Enchanted STAY: a cozy creative space where fantasy, mythology, music, and storytelling meet.

When she isn’t writing or illustrating, Hafdis can usually be found knitting sweaters with Icelandic wool, reading fantasy novels, or curled up under a warm blanket with a cup of hot cocoa — always chasing that same feeling of comfort and wonder that first made her fall in love with stories.