Khaila Gentle

Born and raised in Belize City, Khaila A. Gentle is a poet and speculative fiction writer whose work blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Her writing explores themes of intimacy, mental health, healing, and identity, often centring voices that have historically been underrepresented.

Khaila’s love for storytelling has taken her across multiple fields. She began her career as a reporter for Amandala Newspaper before transitioning into travel writing, where she served as Editorial Director of Caribbean Culture + Lifestyle Magazine for two years.

Since publishing her first poetry collection in 2021, her work has appeared in local and international publications, including Harness Magazine, Lonely Planet Magazine, Lonely Planet Kids, and Bent Pin Press. Through her writing, Khaila seeks to create the representation she once longed for, offering readers stories that reflect their own experiences and inner worlds.

Website: kgentlewrites.com

Bibliography

Coffee Table Conversations: Poems (2025)
Crossroads: A Collection of Poems (2021)

Published Poems:

“Goddess Bathed in Starlight” (They Swallowed the Sun, 2026)
“Home” (Bent Pin Press, 2022)
“Mango” (Bent Pin Press, 2022)

Essays, Short Stories & Other Contributions:

“Sounds of Resistance and Celebration” (Lonely Planet: Belize, 2025)
“Ancient Maya” (Lonely Planet: Belize, 2025)
“Tata Duende: A Tale from Belize” (A Treasury of Traditional Tales, 2025)
Aberrant Citrus (Hybrid Imagination, 2024) (Co-editor)
Beautiful Belize City (2024) (Contributor)