Markus ‘Star’ Harwood-Jones is an author, artist, and academic. Born and raised in Winnipeg, he spent a decade living in Toronto and now resides in Kitchener, Ontario, with his family.

He holds a PhD in Gender Studies from Queen’s University (2025) and has published multiple academic articles on the topics of trans identity, LGBTQ2S+ inclusion, creative writing, and the power stories.

Markus is the author of YA novels including In A Heartbeat (2021), Confessions of a Teenage Drag King (2020), and We Three (2019). He has also produced several zine series and the documentary film Mosaic (2018). He maintains an active TikTok with over 150,000 followers.

Markus also works as a public speaker and workshop facilitator, specializing on the topics of gender, sexuality, creative writing, community research, zine-making, and collective storytelling.

Original art and associated merchandise are available at the Starkiss Creations online store.

Get in touch with Markus to discuss public speaking opportunities, online store product availability, press inquiries, and more.

You can also contact him at markus.harwoodjones@gmail.com.