Katia Ariel is an author, book editor and educator from Melbourne/Naarm. She was born in Odesa, Ukraine. Her memoir, The Swift Dark Tide explores the history of rebellion, joy and transgression in her female line. The book was shortlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize and was the winner of the 2024 Society of Women Writers NSW Non-fiction Prize. She was the recipient of the Varuna Residential Fellowship (2022) and Bundanon Writing Residence (2024). Katia holds an Arts/Law degree from Monash University and Graduate Diploma and Publishing and Editing from RMIT. She lives by the sea with her family.