I’m thrilled to announce that my novel, “Malawi’s Sisters,” was selected by Edwidge Danticat as the winner of the inaugural Kimbilio National Fiction Prize. My novel will be published in the spring of 2019 by Four Way Books. I’m especially honored to have Ms. Danticat choose my work — she is an incredible writer who recently won the 2018 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, a biennial award known as the American Nobel.
I started this novel during my month-long visit in 2015 to Bali. For more than a year I’ve been submitting it to literary agents and receiving one rejection after another. So this prize was a most wonderful gift. As you can imagine, I’m overjoyed and look forward to the journey toward publication.
“Malawi’s Sisters” was inspired by the 2013 shooting death of Renisha McBride and tells the story of a black family thrown into the national dialogue on race when the youngest daughter is killed by a white man. The family must overcome overwhelming grief, resentments and personal demons to find love and family unity once again.
briefly with Ernest Gaines, who received the North Star award for his work. He had been a guest speaker at Hampton University when I was a student there, and I admit, I was in awe to see him again all those years later. I took my worn copies of his two books – “A Gathering of Old Men” and “A Lesson Before Dying” – and asked him to sign them, recounting our first meeting. And he signed them both with a personal note: “Good to see you again after so many years.” What a joy!
to join me and Cheryl A. Head for a reading of our work on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 3 pm, Sankofa Video and Bookstore, across from Howard University on Georgia Ave. The event is free and open to all. Hope to see you there!
