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
Anna Kang’s debut picture book, You Are (Not) Small, was published in 2014. She has, since then, published seven more books, all illustrated by her husband, Christopher Weyant. You Are (Not) Small has won several awards, including the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, and was listed as one of the NPR BestMore
In February 2020, Shane Robitaille released his third book and first novel, Rockit Crew: The Adventures of Teenage Hip-Hop Misfits. He was as excited as any author would be when this sort of thing happens and had a string of promotional events laid out for the following months. Then COVID-19More
I first heard about MFA programs when I took a writing class at Cornell University as an undergrad. Back then, I was still a Government major who thought I would go into the non-profit world or politics. I knew I wanted to tell Zimbabwean stories and fight for female empowerment.More
Daisy Rolland of Easthampton MA was only 10 years old when her first book: “How to Enjoy Sweetland: Your Essential Guide to Sweets,” came out in December 2018. It is a sweet-lovers guide for children. In it, Daisy gives tips on making your own sweets, eating them, hiding them and,More
