Irene Latham (born February 26, 1971 in Covington, Georgia, United States) is an American author. Latham writes primarily in the genres of poetry for adults and fiction for young readers. She is represented by Stimola Literary Studio [1] and her first novel Leaving Gee's Bend was released by G.P. Putnam's Sons in January, 2010. It was named a SIBA Book Award Finalist, Crystal Kite Award Finalist, ALSC Notable Children's Book Nominee, Bank Street College Best Book, Kentucky Bluegrass State Finalist and the 2011 Alabama Library Association Children's Book of the Year. Her second novel Don't Feed the Boy will be released by Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan in October, 2012. Her collection of poems What Came Before (Negative Capability Press, 2007) earned a Bronze Independent Publisher's Award [2](IPPY) and was named Alabama State Poetry Society's Book of the Year. Her latest volume of poetry "The Color Lost Rooms" won the Writer's Digest 19th Annual Self-Published Book Prize for Poetry.
Latham traveled worldwide with her family before settling in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1984. She is a graduate of Hewitt-Trussville High School and earned degrees in social work from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa). Her work has been published in many literary journals and anthologies, including Einstein at the Odeon Cafe [3], Free Lunch, PoemMemoirStory, and Whatever Remembers Us: an Anthology of Alabama Poetry[4]. She serves as poetry editor for Birmingham Arts Journal[1] and as program chairperson for Alabama Writers Conclave.[2]
