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Alicia D. Williams

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Alicia Diane Williams (born September 26, 1970)[1] is an American author and teacher. Her debut novel, Genesis Begins Again, published in 2019, received wide praise by several publications, won a Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King- John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and finalists to the William C. Morris Award and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers Literature.

Early life

Alicia D. Williams grew up in Detroit, Michigan.[2] After graduating high school, Alicia went on to attend the University of Kentucky and majored in African American Studies. She received her BA in 1994, and went on to New York City, where she trained in theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. While living in New York, Alicia performed in plays, commercials, sketch comedy, and stand-up comedy. Wanting a change, she moved back to Detroit, where she eventually found a job as a flight attendant and was stationed in Charlotte, North Carolina.[3]: 3:20 

In 1999, Williams had a daughter, Nailah, [3]: 5:50  and afterwards she returned to working with the theater and writing "one-woman historical shows".[3]: 8:20 

Career as a writer

In 2009, having promised herself she would write a book,[3]: 7:40  she began attending writing conferences. In 2012, Alicia began graduate school at Hamline University.[4] After graduating, [5] she kept working on the manuscript for several years while being employed as a Teaching Artist in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2015, Alicia completed her manuscript Genesis Begins Again[6] and the book was published in January 2019 by Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Williams' book was generally praised by critics. She was awarded a Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King "John Steptoe Award for New Talent" in 2020.[7] The novel was also a finalist for the William C. Morris Award and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers Literature.[8][9]

Works

  • Williams, Alicia (2019). Genesis Begins Again (1st ed.). New York: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. p. 384. ISBN 978-1481465809.
  • Williams, Alicia (2021). Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston (1st ed.). New York: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. ISBN 978-1534419131.

References

  1. ^ "LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-09-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Morgan, Adam (3 December 2019). "The Best Books By Charlotte Authors in 2019". Charlotte Magazine. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Travis Jonker and Colby Sharp (November 2019). "#105 Alicia D. Williams - Path to Publication, Part IV: An Agent, An Auction, A Book Deal". The Yarn (Podcast). School Library Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  4. ^ Rhuday-Perkovich, Olugbemisola. "Day 16: Alicia D. Williams". The Brown Bookshelf. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  5. ^ "MFAC Alum Receives Newbery Honor, Corretta Scott King Award for New Talent Author, and Morris Award Finalist Honor". www.hamline.edu. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. ^ Burkins, Glenn (25 January 2019). "Providence Day School teacher Alicia D. Williams finds literary success writing about colorism and black girl angst". Q City Metro. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  7. ^ Dwyer, Colin (11 October 2018). "'The Undefeated' Wins Caldecott Medal, While 'New Kid' Picks Up Newbery". KCRW. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Five finalists announced for William C. Morris book award". WDIV. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  9. ^ "2019 Kirkus Prize Finalists: Alicia D. Williams on Writing Genesis Begins Again". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
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