Mette Ivie Harrison

Mette Ivie Harrison, born in 1970, is an American novelist known for her young adult fiction and an adult mystery series. Her upbringing within the Mormon faith significantly shapes her writing, particularly the "A Linda Wallheim Mystery" series, which centers on a Mormon woman navigating her religious community and its underlying issues. Harrison's novel "Mira, Mirror" received the Utah Letters About Literature award in 2006, and several of her other books have been recognized as finalists for the AML Awards.

Beyond her fiction, Harrison has contributed essays and articles, including a period writing for The Huffington Post's religion section, where she discussed common perceptions of LDS beliefs and her personal experiences within the faith. She has also openly shared her experiences as a neurodivergent individual, having been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. This diagnosis, she notes, has influenced her analytical approach to understanding human interactions, which she applies to her character development. Harrison has also explored her personal relationship with gender, identifying as "agender" or "autigender."

Mette Ivie Harrison's writing is deeply informed by her background as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). This influence is particularly evident in her "A Linda Wallheim Mystery" series, which features a protagonist who is a bishop's wife. The series aims to provide an insider's perspective on LDS culture, exploring complex social dynamics and truths that may be overlooked within the community, while also centering the experiences of Mormon women who Harrison feels are often underrepresented. Her work often delves into the nuances of faith, community, and personal identity within a specific religious context.

Harrison's personal life experiences have also shaped her perspective and writing. Her diagnosis of high-functioning autism in 2017 has led her to analyze human behavior and social interactions more closely, which she credits with enhancing her ability to portray complex relationships in her fiction. She has written about her experiences with autism and her religious faith, noting how participation in the LDS Church has facilitated social connections. Harrison has also expressed a fluid understanding of gender, using terms like "agender" and "autigender" to describe her identity, reflecting a philosophical exploration of gender itself.

“I want to make a 'regular' Mormon woman the heroine of the story”

“I tend to call myself either “agender” or “autigender” because I don’t think I really understand what gender is.”