Author
Writes stories for young people.
Currently revising my YA novel-in-verse,
fictionalized with magical realism,
based on my experiences as
a child asylum seeker and refugee.
I'll be querying by the end of 2026.
Beste was born in Istanbul, Türkiye, a city where two continents meet.
Beste was three years old when she became a refugee. Her parents fled Turkey and sought safety in London, England.
She loves words and their power.
She writes for children and young adults so they can see themselves reflected in the pages of books and explore the intersections of their identities.
She graduated with her MFA in Writing For Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in January 2025.
She received a one-year mentorship with We Need Diverse Books in 2025. She received scholarships from the McCormack Writing Center (formerly Tin House) and Lambda Literary workshops. She has been a writer-in-residence at Storyknife and is a proud VONA alum.
Beste lives in Northern California with her non-binary partner and her cats Bella (Belle Belle), Pebbles, and Bear.