Please pick a section of the CV, or scroll down.
educational experience
Arizona State University
Degree: MFA, Fiction (2000)
Thesis: “Leaving Atlanta,” a novel
Committee: Ron Carlson, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Neal Lester
University of Iowa
Degree: MA, English (1994)
Concentration: 20 th Century American Literature
Spelman College
Degree: BA, English (1991)
Magna cum laude
publications
NOVELS
The Silver Girl. Algonquin Books. 2011
The Untelling. Warner Books, 2005.
B.B.C. Audio Book, 2005.
Leaving Atlanta. Warner Books, 2002. (USA)
Recorded Books Audio Book, 2002.
El Cobre, 2006. (Spain)
SHORT FICTION
"Have You Known Me Lately?,"Natural Bridge. Fall 2005.
“Best Cousin,” Sou’wester. Spring 2003.
Reprinted in New Stories From The South: The Year’s Best 2004.
Algonquin Books, 2004.
“Leesha,” Crab Orchard Review, Fall/Winter 2002
“Press and Curl,” Gumbo. Marita Golden, ed. Doubleday, 2002
“Felecia and the Prodigy,” Proverbs for the People. TaRessa Stovall, ed.
Kensington Press, 2003.
Excerpts from Leaving Atlanta, 64 (Formerly New Virginia Review).
April 2001.
“Octavia” and“Saying Nothing” (Excerpts from the novel, Leaving
Atlanta), Figdust. Spring 1999.
“House Arrest,” Catalyst, Spring 1992.
Reprinted in Am I the Last Virgin? Tara Roberts, ed, Simon and
Schuster, 1997, and HealthQuest: The Magazine of Black Wellness,
Summer 1994
“Eugenics,” Catalyst, Summer 1991.
Reprinted in HealthQuest: The Magazine of Black Wellness,
Fall 1993
CREATIVE NONFICTION
“Among The Believers,The New York Times . July 10, 2005.
“Letter To Pearl,” in Letters of Intent. Meg Daly, ed. Free Press: 1999.
“My Daddy, the Pregnant Warrior Woman and Me,” in Father Songs.
Gloria Wade Gayles, ed, Beacon Press: 1997.
LITERARY CRITICISM
“Beyond the Privilege of the Vernacular: An Examination of the
Bondswoman in ‘Father to Son,’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave
Girl and Their Eyes Were Watching God .” Langston Hughes Review.
Winter 2002.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
"The Seeds of Discontent," Review of Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy. The Washington Post, February 22, 2007.
“The Toxic Silence,” Op-Ed article. The Atlanta Journal Constitution . May 22., 2005.
“Heavy Lifting,” Review of God's Gym by John Edgar Wideman. The Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2005.
Interview with Chris Abani, The Believer . March 2004.
Reprinted in The Believer Book of Writers Talking To Writers . Vendela Vida, ed. McSweeny's Books. 2005.
“Motel,” The Believer. November 2003.
Review of Bombingham by Anthony Grooms. Progressive.
January 2002
“Exposing War’s Attack of Women,” Review of War’s Dirty Secret by
Anne Llewelyn Barstow. National Catholic Reporter.
March 9, 2001
“Atlanta’s Pain”, Review of Those Bones Are Not My Child by Toni Cade
Bambara. The Progressive. July 2000
“Memories Boiled and Strained,” Review of The Great Whirl of Exile by
Leroy V. Quintana, The Progressive. November 1999
“Folk Tale of Survival,” Review of Gardens in the Dunes by Leslie
Marmon Silko. The Progressive February 2000
faculty experience
2007-present- Assistant Professor, Departent of English/MFA In Creative Writing
Rutgers-Newark University
2006-2007- Jenny McKean Moore Writer in Residence , Department of English.
George Washington University
Teach undergraduate fiction course and a community writing workshop.
2004-2006 - Assistant Professor, Department of English.
The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in fiction writing.
2003-04 - Geier Writer in Residence, Department of English
East Tennessee State University
Taught undergraduate and graduate creative writing courses as well as undergraduate literature courses.
1996-97 - Instructor & Coordinator for the Developmental Reading Program
Prairie View A&M University
Designed and implemented curriculum for developmental reading; supervised four faculty members, taught three sections of developmental reading per semester.
1995-97 - Faculty,
Academy for Collegiate Excellence and Student Success (ACCESS)
Prairie View A&M University
Designed and implemented curriculum for developmental reading.
1994-96 - Faculty, Developmental Reading
Prairie View A&M University
1994-94 - Faculty, Benjamin Banneker Honors College
Prairie View A&M University
Taught two courses, African American Scholars Past and Present and Communications Seminar as part of the General Electric Summer Institute, Prairie View A&M University.
selected workshops conducted
Four-day Fiction Workshop, Tomales Bay Workshops, University of California, Davis. October 2006.
“Writing About Katrina,” (90-minute workshop) Wabash College Creative Writing/Creative Teaching
Workshop. September 2005.
“The Playground Point of View: Writing Children’s Voices.” (one-hour
workshop). Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Middlebury,
VT 2003, 2004.
“Creating Believable Characters” (with Ron Carlson) Arizona State
University Writing Conference. (one-day workshop) March 2003.
“Writing Your World”. Institute for Talented Youth. Tempe Arizona.
(semi-annual six-week writing workshop for seventh and eighth
graders) 2000-2002.
“The Road to Revision,” Spelman College. November 2002. (three-day
workshop)
“Literature of Our Own: Connecting Literature to Advocacy,”
Children’s Defense Fund. Langston Hughes Library. July 2002.
(three-day workshop)
“Strategies for Managing the Writing Workshop.” Presented to
Language Arts teachers, Huntsville, AL Public Schools. October
2000. (two-day workshop)
“Writing Across The Curriculum” Summer Writing Programs,
Alabama State University. July 2000. (two-day workshop)
panels, presentations, lectures
“The Perils of Publishing”, Arizona State University, Creative Writing
Department, 2004.
Featured Writer, Literature Live!, George Washington University.
(Faye Moscovitz) 2004.
“Sense of Place in Leaving Atlanta” 213 (Sean Nevin) Arizona State
University, West Campus. 2003.
“The Pitfalls of Memory”, (Derryn Moten) Alabama A&M University.
2003.
“The Role of the African American Writer”, African American
Literature, Prairie View A&M University. (Charles Chapman)
2003.
“Remembering The Atlanta Child Murders”, African American
Literature, 3453. (Camille T. Dungy) Randolph Macon Woman’s
College. 2002.
“The Writer and Her Teachers”, Oktoberfest, Alabama A&M University.
2002
“Literature of Our Own,” Children’s Defense Fund. Langston Hughes
Library. 2002
“The First Novel,” Writers Conference 2000: Celebrating African-
American Women Writers. The Community College of Baltimore,
Essex Campus. November 2000
“Perils of Publishing” Presented to students at Alabama A&M
University, October 2000.
Guest Lecturer, Virginia Union University, 2000.
“Remembering the Atlanta Child Murders.” Large lecture section of
African American Literature 268. (Dr. Barbara MacCaskill)
University Of Georgia, January 1998
The African American Female Experience in Graduate Programs in
English. Roundtable Panelist, Annual Meeting of the College
Language Association, 1995
“A Feminist Critique of Langston Hughes’ ‘Father to Son.’” Presented at
the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of African
American Life and History, 1992
other professional experience
2007- Judge, Mills College MFA Fiction Prize
2006-"Celebrity Judge", 2007 Creative Loafing Fiction Prize. Creative Loafing-Atlanta Newspaper.
2006- Preliminary Judge, 2007 Bakeless Prize. Bread Loaf Writers Conference.
2005- Juror, Mid-Altantic Arts Council, State of Maryland Fiction Fellowships.
2005 - Judge, Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in the category of Debut Fiction.
2005 - Preliminary Judge, 2005 Bakeless Prize. Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Middlebury College
2004 - Admissions Committee, Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Middlebury College
2003 - Juror, MFA Creative Writing Fellowship. Art Institute of Chicago
2003 - Juror, Swarthout Awards. Arizona State University
2001 - Public Arts Assistant, Cultural Services Department.
City of Tempe
Served as Assistant Public Art Project Manager. Duties included compiling database, placing artists in residencies, drafting contracts, writing brochures, press releases, etc.
1998-99 - Research Assistant, Department of English
Arizona State University
Assisted Jewell Parker Rhodes with research for the writing manual Free Within Ourselves: Writing Lessons for Black Writers. ( Harlem Moon/Doubleday 2002.)
awards and honors
Collins Fellow
United States Artists Foundation 2009.
Jenny McKean Moore Writer in Residence
George Washington University, 2006.
Conson Wilson Lecturer
First Year Experience Novel Pick (for Leaving Atlanta)
Berry Collge, 2006.
Fiction Finalist
(for The Untelling) Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, 2006.
Artist Residency
Gibraltar Point Artist Residency Program, Toronto Arts Council (Canada), 2006.
Prose Fellowship
Illinois Arts Council, 2006.
Target Breakout Book
(for The Untelling) Target Corporation, 2006.
Lillian C. Smith Book Award for New Voices
(for The Untelling ) Southern Regional Council and The University of Georgia Libraries, 2005.
Goodman Scholar in Residence
Peace College , Raleigh , NC , 2005.
Will Hays Writer in Residence
Wabash College , Crawfordsville , IN , 2005
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Leader
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 2004.
Walter E. Dankin Fellowship
Sewanee Writers Conference, Sewanee, TN 2004.
GE Fund Residency
The Corporation of Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY 2004
Fletcher Pratt Fellowship
Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Middlebury, VT. 2003.
Legacy Award in the Category of Debut Fiction (for Leaving Atlanta)
Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation 2003
Fellowship
Le Chateau de Lavigny International Writers Colony, Lavigny, Switzerland, 2003.
Nomination
Pushcart Prize XXVIII, 2003.
Professional Development Grant
Arizona Commission on the Arts, 2003.
Best Novel of the Year (for Leaving Atlanta)
Atlanta Magazine, December 2002.
#1 Southern Novel of the Year (for Leaving Atlanta)
Creative Loafing Newspaper, December 17, 2002.
2002 Critics’ Choice (for Leaving Atlanta)
Washington Post Book World, December 1, 2002.
2002 Critics’ Choice (for Leaving Atlanta)
Atlanta Journal Constitution, December 1, 2002.
Best New Author (for Leaving Atlanta)
Black Issues Book Review, December 2002.
BookSense 76 Daily Pick (for Leaving Atlanta)
Booksense.com, September 2002.
Gerald Freund Fellowship
MacDowell Colony in Perterborough, New Hampshire, 2002
Jakobson Fellow
Wesleyan Summer Writing Conference, 2002
Artist Fellowship
Arizona Commission on the Arts, 2002
LEF Foundation Award for African American and Native American Writers
2002
Selected Artist
Arizona Artists Roster, Arizona Commission on the Arts, 2002-06
Fellowship
Ledig House International Writers Colony, Ghent, NY. 2002
Nomination
Best New American Voices (Wesleyan Summer Writers Conference). 2002
Scholarship
Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation, 2001
Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation Award
2000
Martindale Foundation Award for Fiction
2000
Nomination
Best New American Voices (Arizona State Creative Writing Program). 2000
Katherine Turner Scholarship for American Literature
Arizona State University, 1998
University Graduate Fellow
Arizona State University, 1997
Opportunity Fellowship
University of Iowa, 1991
selected readings
2007
Keynote Address,Mississippi Philological Association, Itta Bena, Mississippi
Keynote Address, The Big Read, Hartford, Connecticutt
Mills College, Oakland, California
Headline Reading, Associated Writing Programs, Annual Conference
2006
Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Bethesda Writers Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Conson Wilson Lecture, Berry College, Mt. Berry, Georgia
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, St. Anne, Maryland
George Washington Univeristy. Washington, DC
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Campus, Princess Ann, Maryland
Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.
Rutgers University, Newark Campus, Newark, New Jersey
Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
Hood College. Fredericks, Maryland
North Carolina Festical of The Book. (Duke University) Durham, North Carolina
2005
Vassar College . Poughkeepsie , NY .
Pen/Faulkner Gala. Washington , DC
Devils Kitchen Literary Festival, Southern Illinois University . Carbondale , IL
Will Hays Reading , Wabash College . Crawfordsville , IN
Concord Festival of Authors, Concord , MA
Greenfield Community College , Greenfield , MA
River Styxx Reading Series and Duff's, St. Louis , MO
Georgia College and State University , Milledgeville , GA
National Black Book Club Conference. Atlanta , GA
Red Mountain Reading Series, Jefferson State Community College . Birmingham , AL
Oxford Conference on the Book, Oxford , MS
Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore , MD
Burton Barr Central Library, Phoenix , AZ
Glendale Public Library, Glendale , AZ
Harold Washington Public Library, Chicago , IL
Chicago Tribune Printer's Row Book Fair, Chicago , IL
Junior League of Virginia , Book and Author Dinner. Richmond , VA.
Georgia Center For The Book. Decatur , GA
Eastern Illinois University , Charleston , IL
Peace College , Raleigh , NC
Clayton State College and University, Atlanta , GA
2004
West Virginia State University Creative Writing Reading Series,
Morgantown, Vest Virginia
Southeast State Community College, Gray, Tennessee
Geier Lecture , East Tennessee State University, Johnson City,
Tennessee.
Sewannee Writers Conference, Sewannee, Tenessee
University of Indiana Creative Writing Reading Series, Bloomington,
Indiana
2003
National Black Arts Festival, Literary Duets Series, Atlanta, Georgia
Pen/Faulkner Reading Series, Folger Shakespeare Library,
Washington, DC
Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Middlebury, Vermont
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Virginia Polytechnic University, Blacksburg, Virgnia
Southern Women Writers Conference. Berry College. Rome, Georgia.
Freshman Book Club Reading, Brenau University. Gainesville, Georgia.
“Literary Duets” (with Pearl Cleage, Ntozake Shange, Nikki Finney)
National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA.
Northern Arizona Book Festival. Flagstaff, Arizona
Southwestern Arts Symposium, Glendale, Arizona
Celebration of African American Women Writers, Scottsdale Public
Library. Scottsdale, Arizona
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
Virginia Book! Charlottesville, Virginia
Arizona State University Writers Conference, Arizona State University
Brown Bag Lecture Series, Arizona State University Downtown Campus,
Phoenix, Arizona.
Phoenix Book Fair, Phoenix, AZ
2002
New York University Creative Writing Program Reading Series. (Paule
Marshall’s New Generation Series) New York University. New
York, New York.
Randolph Macon Woman’s College Reading Series. Lynchburg, Virgnia
Spelman College Museum of Fine Arts, Atlanta, Georgia
Margaret Mitchell House, Atlanta, Georgia
University of Georgia Visiting Writers Reading Series, Athens, Georgia
Meeting of Womanist Readers, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Night of 100 Authors, Atlanta Literary Festival, Atlanta, Georgia
Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland
Networkers Luncheon, Louisville Public Library, Louisville, Kentucky
“Authors Cafe,” National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA
“Hurston/Wright Foundation Writers Present,” Annual Meeting of
Associated Writing Programs, New Orleans, Louisiana
“A Tribute to Toni Cade Bambara,” Virginia Commonwealth University
Reading Series, Richmond, Virginia
community service
2006- Two-day residency. Mercy Learning Center. Bridgeport, CT
2006-Classroom visit. Pen/Faulkner Writers in Schools, I.D.E.A. Charter School. Washington, DC
2005- Classroom visit. Pen/Faulkner Writers in Schools, Kenwood Academy. Chicago, Illinois
2005- Classroom visit. Pen/Faulkner Writers in Schools, Anacostia High School. Washington, DC
2004- Classroom visit. Pen/Faulkner Writers in Schools, Kenwood Academy. Chicago, Illinois
2004 - Reading and Presentation. Margaret Mitchell Public Library. Atlanta, Georgia
2004 - 30 th Anniversary Fundraiser for Charis Books. Atlanta, Georgia
2003 - Moveable Feast. (To Benefit Atlanta Literacy Alliance) Atlanta, Georgia.
2003 - Classroom Presentation. Pen/Faulker Writers in Schools. Grady High School. Atlanta, Georgia.
2003 - Classroom Presentation. Pen/Faulkner Writers in School. Cordozo High School. Washington, DC.
2003 - African American Writers Showcase, Gilbert Public Library, Gilbert, Arizona
2003 - African American Read-In, Mesa Public Library, Mesa, Arizona.
2003 - Classroom Presentations. Charlottesville High School. Charlottesville, Virginia.
2003 - Classroom Presentations. Jones High School. Huntsville, Alabama.
2001 - Classroom Presentations. Glendale Elementary School. Young Authors Day. Glendale, Arizona.
2000-03 - Arizona Artists Roster. Roster Artists are certified by the Arizona Commission on the arts to work in public schools introducing young people to the arts.
2000 - Lecture and Presentation. Freshman Seminar. Virginia Union University. Richmond, Virginia.
1999 - Six-Week Community Writing Workshop. Tempe, Arizona.
1998 - Six-Week Community Writing Workshop. Tempe, Arizona
1998 - Reading, Writer’s Harvest (to benefit Share Our Strength,) Athens, Georgia.
1998 - Reading, Writer’s Round-Up, Atlanta Public Library, East Point Branch, March 1998