Peter Adrian Behravesh

@behravesh

Miller Award-winning writer of Persian monstrosities and naftpunk. BFA-winning and Hugo/Ignyte-nominated audio producer. Co-editor of IRAN+100. ایرانی He/him. Story game designer for MTG at Wizards of the Coast. Opinions are my own. #WotCStaff

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Bluesky

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir behravesh.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· 17d

Ready to watch the Odyssey

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· 21d

I’ll be appearing at Worldcon in Anaheim next month (August 27-31). Here’s where you can find me! #LAconV #Worldcon2026

A graphic for LAcon V with Peter Adrian Behravesh’s schedule and the words “Here’s where you can find me at Worldcon!”

1001 Years Later - Thursday, 1:30 p.m.

Writing Between Worlds: Diasporic Influence in SFF - Friday, 12:00 p.m.

Working with an Editor - Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Roots on the Page: Writing Shaped by Heritage (Virtual) - Saturday, 6:00 p.m.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jul 17

So stoked that we can finally talk about the Magic line-up for 2027! Next year is going to be WILD. #wotcstaff

A graphic showing Nauctis: The Sunken Realm releasing on February 5, 2027; MagicCon Detroit, February 26-28; an unannounced Universes Beyond set releasing on April 9; MagicCon Tokyo, May 14-16; Kamigawa Titanbreach releasing on June 4; Magic Limited Championship in Minneapolis, June 18-20; an unannounced Universes Beyond set releasing on August 6; Zhalfir releasing on October 1; an unannounced Universes Beyond set releasing on November 19; and MagicCon Amsterdam, December 3-5.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jun 27

Me when my therapist asks me how something made me feel

A box lid with the words “Please unpack carefully I am afraid of pain”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Mar 20

Today is Nowruz, the new year festival celebrated in Iran and many other countries. Normally I put together a haft-sin (below is the one from 2023) and cook a big meal or go out with family. But it’s so hard to feel celebratory this year while the US and Israel continue to bombard Iran.

An image of a haftsin, the decorated table displayed during Nowruz. It contains seven items that start with the letter “s” in the Persian language: vinegar, sumac, garlic, oleaster, wheat grass, wheat pudding, and an apple. Other symbolic items include candles, coins, eggs, a mirror, and books of Persian poetry.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Mar 16

A lovely nod to IRAN+100 in @markaz-review.bsky.social’s Iran recommended reading list, among some excellent company. At a time when the future of Iran feels painfully uncertain, these stories are sadly more relevant than ever. themarkaz.org/iran-a-marka...

A screenshot from The Markaz Review’s “Iran: A Recommended Reading List.”

The text reads:

The Markaz Review
Literature & Arts from the Center of the World

In the midst of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, TMR reached out to a few contributors to ask: What should we be reading?

In 1953, Iran’s prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was removed from power after he nationalized Iran’s oil industry, which had been controlled by the British company Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later BP). The coup was supported and coordinated by the CIA and MI6, largely to protect western oil interests and prevent Iran from moving closer to the Soviet sphere during the Cold War. Iran +100 is a collection of speculative stories by ten authors, who imagine different futures for Iran 100 years after this coup. From the upturning of gender-power structures to the scarcity of energy resources in a sun-ravaged future, from magic realism to retro-futurism, they demonstrate how old struggles can always find new forms of expression.

Iran +100: Stories from a Century after the Coup, edited by Fereshteh Ahmadi, Leila Elder, Peter Adrian Behravesh, Comma Press 2025

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Mar 6

Now I’m ridiculously lucky that I get to work on Magic: The Gathering, and the kid inside me is screaming with glee that there’s an #MTGxTMNT collaboration. Go play this set, y’all. It’s a shell of a blast! #wotcstaff

An image of the original TMNT blimp with an Ace Duck action figure and the Magic: The Gathering cards High-Flying Ace and Turtle Blimp.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jan 31

A little light amid the darkness. 🖤 bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2026/2026.01...

Text from the Bryn Mawr Classical Review that reads: “Adorned with beautiful color reproductions of illuminated manuscript folios from sixteenth-century copies of the Shähnämeh, Peter Adrian Behravesh's survey of monstrous creatures in the Persian mythological tradition demonstrates admirably that ancient Mediterranean cultures did not have a monopoly on fantastic beasts ($ 31).”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jan 18

If you’re reading for awards right now, I would be honored if you would consider Iran+100, the Comma Press anthology I co-edited with Fereshteh Ahmadi and Leila Elder. It’s full of stories from Iranian writers imagining the future of Iran. The Guardian called it “imaginative, audacious, exciting.”

A book cover depicting an abstract image of oil pipes. The title reads “Iran+100: Stories from a Century after the Coup.”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Dec 27

The highlight of my holiday break so far was wandering into a used bookstore and finding a translation of the Shahnameh (the national epic of Iran) published in 1886! The binding is in rough shape (another project for when I finally take up bookbinding), but it otherwise seems to be in good repair.

An image of the beat-up spine of an old book. The text reads: “Shah Nameh of the Persian Poet Firdausi, Atkinson.”

An image of the title page. The text reads:

“The Shah Nameh
of
The Persian Poet
Firdausi.

Translated and abridged in prose and verse,
by
James Atkinson, Esq.,
of the Honourable East-India Company’s Bengal Medical Service.

Edited by
Rev. J. A. Atkinson, M.A.,
Rector of Longsight; Hon. Canon of Manchester.

London and New York:
Frederick Warne & Co.
1886.”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Aug 23

My copy of Iran+100 arrived! I feel honored to have been a part of this project. Now more than ever, it’s vitally important to amplify West Asian voices. Please consider ordering a copy, if you have the means. And if not, I would be incredibly grateful if you spread the word about this anthology. 🙏🏼

A book lying on a black-and-white patterned surface. The title reads “Iran+100: Stories from a Century after the Coup.”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Aug 8

Buscemi would like you to know that he's had a VERY difficult day of naps and walks.

A small white dog looking tired and forlorn on a carpeted floor.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Aug 6

I am INCREDIBLY excited to introduce Iran+100, a collection of stories from Iranian writers all over the world. It examines what life in Iran might look like in 2053, 100 years after the US-backed coup that overthrew Mosaddegh and led to the Iranian Revolution.

An image of five books on a desk: Iran+100, Egypt+100, Kurdistan+100, Palestine+100, and Iraq+100.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jun 7

This advice saved my life (maybe add a third E for hEadphones)

A post by Deirdre/@figgled with the words:

Before u leave the house, think of the acronym ‘WOWEE’

Wallet
phOne
Wkeys
Egg
Egg (backup)

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Apr 15

Look what arrived in the mail!

A hardcover book sitting on a chair. The cover image depicts Heracles fighting the Lernaean Hydra. The text reads: The Oxford Handbook of Monsters in Classical Myth, edited by Debbie Felton.

An open book on a chair. The text on the recto page reads:

Pearls from a Dark Cloud
Monsters in Persian Myth 
Peter Adrian Behravesh 
Introduction From gigantic birds to horned wolves to liver-stealing demons, the Persian mythological tradition is a trove of wonderfully monstrous creatures. This chapter will examine these monsters as they appear in myths written in the New Persian language and its predecessors (including Middle Persian and Avestan), drawing on sacred and cosmogonic texts such as the Avesta and the Bundahishn, and fictional (or loosely historical) stories and epics such as the Shāhnāmeh, with particular emphasis on works written in the tenth to fourteenth centuries CE by poets steeped in the oral traditions of Persian antiquity. Many monsters in these texts are Zoroastrian in origin, though a few find their roots in Islam. Some are simply agents of creation or destruction, mischief or temptation. Others represent a range of anxieties, from the threat of foreign rulers to the perils of childbirth.
While no single chapter could hope to fully explore the vast menagerie of monstrosity found within the myths of Persia, I aim to provide a primer on the most prominent Persian monsters and how they influenced or were influenced by other mythological traditions, such as the Greek, Chinese, and Arabo-Islamic mythoi. I broadly delineate Persia as the region containing modern Iran and the surrounding areas under imperial control during the Median, Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sāsānian eras (seventh century BCE to seventh century CE), though I will also discuss texts written or collected under Arab and Mongol rule (seventh to fourteenth centuries CE). From here on, I will refer to the region itself as Iran, as in the texts. Moreover, except in cases where there is a commonly accepted English transliteration, I have used the Association for Iranian Studies’ transliteration scheme for Persian words.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Apr 7

Behold! In all its glory! The Thicket Basilisk cake I begged my mom to make me for my 11th birthday! (I misremembered the year in my previous post.) #mtg #wotcstaff

A birthday cake with white frosting and a black licorice border. On it are 11 candles, a green basilisk made out of frosting, and the words “Summon Behravesh.”

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Mar 25

Exciting career news! I’ve joined Wizards of the Coast as a Story Game Designer on Magic: The Gathering! I’ve loved Magic since I was 9 years old and begged my mom to bake me a Thicket Basilisk birthday cake (pic to come), so this is a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself! #mtg #wotcstaff

An excited man in a black suit and snazzy shoes stands beside Mitzy the dragon in the Wizards of the Coast lobby.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Mar 20

Nowruz piruz! This year’s haftsin contains a hint about some exciting news I’ll be sharing very soon!

An image of a haftsin, the decorated table displayed during Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It contains seven items that start with the letter “s” in the Persian language: vinegar, sumac, garlic, oleaster, wheat grass, wheat pudding, and an apple. Other symbolic items include candles, coins, eggs, a mirror, and a book of Persian poetry. Tucked inside the book is a partially obscured card sleeve bearing the Planeswalker symbol. Behind the table, bookshelves groan with the weight of various board games.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Feb 11

#HugoAwards nominations are now open, which feels like the perfect opportunity to update my eligibility post. I'd be honored if you'd consider HEAVENS' REVOLUTION (a Persian dieselpunk adventure that's been repeatedly praised for its worldbuilding and intrigue) for Best Game or Interactive Work!

An image of a woman in black wearing a lion mask and holding a rifle aloft. Behind her is a Persian city silhouetted against a large, red sun. One of the buildings is billowing smoke. The text reads: Heavens' Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress by Peter Adrian Behravesh. October 2024, Choice of Games. For Your Consideration, 2024 Awards Eligibility. Nebula Award for Best Game Writing. Hugo Award for Best Game or Interactive Work.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Jan 29

I'm thrilled to be a part of the social media cover reveal for THE GLADE, award-winning author Naseem Jamnia's MG horror debut coming out on May 27! THE GLADE is pitched as Ellen Oh's Spirit Hunters meets Katherine Arden's Small Spaces, and it stars a queer, racialized cast of misfits.

An image showing the cover for The Glade by Naseem Jamnia, including a wavy speech bubble that says, “Preorder now!” and another text block that says “Available May 27.”

The cover shows a light-skinned Iranian American tween with long wavy brown hair blowing across her face as she looks up and away, a light illuminating her from behind. Her fists are clenched and her expression tight. She’s wearing a blue-purple hoodie, halfway unzipped to show a dark shirt, and jeans. Around her are glowing green mushrooms, including ones that are twisted and gnarled like tree trunks, and long grass. Subtle spider webs cover some areas. The title and author name are at the top, with vines curled around some letters.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Dec 31

My essay, PEARLS FROM A DARK CLOUD: MONSTERS IN PERSIAN MYTH, was published in The Oxford Handbook of Monsters in Classical Myth in October 2024. It examines how monsters in Persian mythology influenced (or were influenced by) other mythoi. As of today, it's also available in the US.

A book cover depicting Heracles battling the hydra. The text reads: The Oxford Handbook of Monsters in Classical Myth, edited by Debbie Felton.

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Nov 20

This is my first time writing an awards eligibility post, so hopefully I'm doing this right! My interactive novel came out last month, and it's eligible for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing. If you enjoyed it and would like to nominate it, that would be amazing. And if not, that's cool, too!

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Oct 5

Holy hell, my editor commissioned new art for my interactive novel, and it's GORGEOUS! I love the art by Darya Bajestani as well, so I'm very happy to say that we'll be using both. HEAVENS' REVOLUTION: A LION AMONG THE CYPRESS will be released on 10/24/24. (This is a change from a previous post.)

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Aug 7

Nowruz Journal #4 is out, with a poem by yours truly! I'm so honored to be featured among such amazing writers. nowruzjournal.com/poetry/brave...

An image that reads: Nowruz Journal, Fourth Issue, featuring Samira Ashari, Mahnaz Zohreh Bayazi, Monir Gholamzadeh Bazarbash, Peter Adrian Behravesh, Tina Ehsanipour, Sarah Esmi, Maryam Ghatee, Celina Naheed, David Shams. NowruzJournal.com

Peter Adrian Behravesh@behravesh· Oct 6

Thrilled to post my first Publishers Marketplace deal report since becoming an acquiring editor. This book is already dear to my heart, and I can't wait for Omid to share his journey with the world.