Johanna grew up in the Netherlands together with her two sisters. The three of them are triplets, though her sisters are identical to each other and she’s different, a fact she didn’t discover until she was five years old; at least, unlike most people, she can pinpoint the exact moment she became self-aware.
She has received an MA in English Literature with a specialisation in early modern literature, as well as an MA Book and Digital Media with a specialisation in early modern book history, both of them at Leiden University. She currently works as an editor for a big company that sends a lot of reports and letters out every day, all of them requiring a lot of love and attention to make sure that every comma is where it should be. This job gives her enough time to write (mostly queer gothic) novels. When she isn’t doing any of those things, she enjoys spending time with her girlfriend, her sisters, and her dog, though not necessarily all at the same time.
Her debut Gothic horror novel, My Darling Dreadful Thing was published by Sourcebooks in May 2024.
Praise for My Darling Dreadful Thing
“A sapphic seance of preternatural proportions, My Darling Dreadful Thing summons a stunning new literary voice to be reckoned with. Johanna van Veen reaches beyond the veil to conjure up a gothic shocker like no other.”
— Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters
“Dark and decadent, with the haunting allure of a true gothic tale, My Darling Dreadful Thing is a sensation that horrifies as acutely as it delights. Johanna Van Veen is a force to be reckoned with and will stain your thoughts a brilliant shade of crimson. I adored every page.”
— Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window
“This book got under my skin, all the way down to the marrow. It’s as dark as a grave and throbbing with queer desire. I won’t forget it.”
— Kirsty Logan, author of Now She is Witch
