When Sue Nyathi’s novel, A Family Affair, came out in 2020, it was an instant success. The first print run sold out within weeks. Literary critiques could not stop talking about it. But that word, ‘instant,’ camouflages the long journey it took to get to the point where the bookMore
From Zoom calls, to book talks and podcast interviews, as authors we sometimes have to speak in public. Just the thought of it is enough to send chills down many of our spines. There was a time when as an author you could write your book, pass it on toMore
Elise Kova is a USA Today bestselling author of over 30 novels. She writes YA fantasy and says she enjoys, “telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions.” She’s also a writing coach who helps authors who are just starting out and established writers looking to getMore
In October, Nigerian author, Uchenna Awoke, became the first featured writer for the Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop’s (PVWW) Writing Across Borders Program. Uchenna did a reading via Zoom and then took questions from the audience. PVWW, a literary arts organization based in Western MA, launched the program to encourage theMore
Sarah Ladipo Manyika has sold millions of copies of her books. Her debut novel, In Dependence, is an international bestseller and was in 2019 reissued to celebrate 10 successful years since it was first published. Her second novel, Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun, was shortlisted forMore
Amina Jordan-Mendez is a poet, spoken word artist, and educator from Western Massachusetts. They are the 2020-21 Straw Dog Writers Guild Emerging Writers Fellow and the inaugural recipient of this fellowship. Speaking to Valley of Writers about Amina’s selection, Fellowship founder, Nicole M. Young said, “There’s a unique rawness toMore
Often, as first-time writers, we struggle, stumble, and get stuck. And yet this path has been walked upon by many who have come before us. When we look back, we can see some of the pitfalls and ways around them. Valley of Writers has put together a list of lessonsMore
Getting your first book published is one of the highlights of any author’s life. But what is it like in different countries? What are the nuances that we can learn from by talking to writers in different countries and cultures? I spoke to Kaja Kvernbakken, a Norwegian writer and writingMore
South African novelist, Zukiswa Wanner, is one of the busiest people I know. In 2020, she was named African Literary Person of the Year by Brittle Paper, one of the leading blogs on African literature. As if to seal this award, a few days later, she was named one ofMore