Darling Santa Maria is a gorgeous Mexican woman with an overflowing amount of talent and creativity. Born and raised in Arizona, she's spent most of her life doing the same things she does now: writing, drawing, cosplaying, and generally being a kick-ass lady.

​

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Illustration, Darling has worked across costume design, fashion, illustration, and graphic design, including work with Cirque du Soleil. She's also spent nearly two decades as a professional cosplayer, appearing as a guest, panelist, and judge at conventions across the country.

​

But writing steamy slow burns, romantic comedies, and an unreasonable amount of fanfiction has always been part of the picture. With hundreds of thousands of reads on her online fiction, Darling has turned her love of storytelling toward original novels, including her completed historical romantic comedy, Anonymously, Annabeth, and a contemporary queer rom-com set in the world of professional cosplay.

​

Her stories celebrate love, humor, and the beautifully complicated experience of being human, particularly for characters whose identities intersect with ethnicity, neurodivergence, and sexuality. She believes marginalized characters deserve stories filled with joy, ridiculous situations, and sweeping romance—not just stories about their struggles.