Bernice L. McFadden (born September 26, 1965) is an American novelist. She has also written humorous erotica under the pseudonym Geneva Holliday. Author of fifteen novels, she is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Life

Bernice L. McFadden was born and raised in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. In April 2005 McFadden was a MacDowell Colony Fellow in New Hampshire. She received an El Gouna Writers’ Residency in Egypt in June 2011. In April 2013 she was Serenbe Artist-in-Residence in Georgia. In 2016 McFadden was awarded an MFA from The Writer's Foundry at St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn, NY.

Works

*''Sugar: A Novel''. Dutton Publishers. 2000, , (UK: Random House UK, Vintage. ISBN 9781784877316 * ''The Warmest December''. Dutton Publishers. 2001, , *''This Bitter Earth''. Dutton Publishers. 2002, *''Loving Donovan''. Dutton Publishers. 2003, , *''Camilla's Roses''. Dutton Publishers. 2004, *''Nowhere is a Place''. Dutton Publishers. 2006, *''Glorious''. Brooklyn, NY: Akashic Books, 2010, , *''Gathering of Waters''. New York: Akashic Books, 2012 * ''Praise Song for the Butterflies'', Brooklyn, New York:

Akashic Books Akashic Books is a Brooklyn-based independent publisher. Akashic Books' collection began with Arthur Nersesian's ''The Fuck Up'' in 1997, and has since expanded to include Dennis Cooper's "Little House on the Bowery" series, Chris Abani's Black ...

, 2018. , (UK:

Jacaranda Books Jacaranda Books is a diversity-led British independent book publishing firm launched in 2012 and known for their effort tackling the gap between white authors and the BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) demographic in United Kingdom's p ...

, ) *''The Book of Harlan''. Brooklyn, New York: Akashic Books, 2016 , (UK:

, )"Bernice L. McFadden Introduces her New Novel, The Book of Harlan"
October 10, 2016, ''www.foyles.co.uk''. Retrieved November 15, 2020 Writing as Geneva Holliday: * ''Groove''.

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

. 2005 * ''Fever''. Random House. 2006 * ''Heat''. Random House. 2007 * ''Seduction''. Random House. 2008 * ''Lover Man''. Random House. 2009 Short fiction * "Keeper of Keys", ''USA Today Open Book Series''. July 2001 (USA) * "Luscious", ''Gumbo: A Literary Rent Party''.

Marita Golden Marita Golden (born April 28, 1950) is an American novelist, nonfiction writer, professor, and co-founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, a national organization that serves as a resource center for African-American writers. Background and caree ...

, ed. Doubleday, 2002 (USA) * "One Night Stand", ''Black Silk''. Retha Powers, ed. Warner Books, 2002 (USA) * "Sit", ''Brown Sugar II''. Carol Taylor, ed. Washington Square Press, 2003 (USA) * "Black Power", ''On The Line''. Donna Hill, ed. Sepia Books, 2008 (USA) * "Coming to America", ''Time Out New York''. October 2014 (USA) *"OBF Inc.", ''Cutting Edge: New Stories of Mystery and Crime by Women Writers''. Joyce Carol Oates, ed. Akashic Books, 2019 (USA) *"God's Work," ''Nicotine Chronicles''.

Lee Childs Lee Childs (born 6 November 1982, in Yeovil) is a retired British tennis player from England. Following match victories in 2000, Childs was hailed as "the future of British tennis" and a successor to Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski. At the 2003 ...

, ed. Akashic Books, 2020 (USA) *
Tisoy.

Audible Originals
2021 (USA) Creative Non-fiction *"Forward, Prologue & Preface". ''Black Boy''. Richard Wright, Everbind Anthologies, 2003 (USA) *"Superman Has His Cape." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', March 19, 2006 *"The Power of Prayer." ''Black Pain''. Terrie Williams, ed. Scribner, 2008 (USA) *"Black Writers in a Ghetto of the Publishing Industry's Making," ''The Washington Post''. June 26, 2010 *Review of ''If Sons, Then Heirs'' by Lorene Cary. ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. May 22, 2011 *"Life in Egypt." ''Crisis Magazine''. December 2011 * Review of ''The Last Runaway'' by

Tracy Chevalier Tracy Rose Chevalier (born 19 October 1962) is an American-British novelist. She is best known for her second novel, '' Girl with a Pearl Earring'', which was adapted as a 2003 film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. Personal backgr ...

. ''The Washington Post''. January 10, 2013 * "Barbados", ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' (Travel Section). November 10, 2013 *"Bernice L. McFadden Introduces her New Novel, The Book of Harlan", October 10, 2016, www.foyles.co.uk. Retrieved November 15, 2020 *"15." ''What My Mother and I Don't Talk About''. Michele Filgate, ed. Simon and Schuster (2019)
"What Didn't Kill Her." Longreads
June 4, 2020 (USA) *"Zora Neale Hurston." ''

Four Hundred Souls ''Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619–2019'' is a 2021 anthology of essays, commentaries, personal reflections, short stories, and poetry, compiled and edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain. Conceived and ...

''.

Ibram X. Kendi Ibram Xolani Kendi (born Ibram Henry Rogers, August 13, 1982) is an American author, professor, Anti-racism, anti-racist activist, and historian of race and discriminatory policy in America. In July 2020, he assumed the position of director of th ...

, ed., Keisha N. Blain, ed. One World, 2021 (USA)
My Seat at the Table.
''Longreads'', August 5, 2021(USA)
"Love in the Time of King Cake"
''Oldster Magazine'', November 15, 2021
Where to start with Toni Morrison
The Guardian, July 21, 2022

Awards, honors and recognition

* 2022 Black Book Canon https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-mind/the-100-best-books-by-black-authors-4f91042b8a65 (Sugar, Loving Donovan)
2022 Born Free: A Renaissance Reading List https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/08/08/born-free-renaissance-reading-list
(Sugar) * 202
Battle Creek Reads
(The Book of Harlan) * 2021
Longreads Best of 2021
(My Seat at the Table) * 2021
Richard and Judy Book Club
pick (Sugar) * 2020: Mary Cadden and others, ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'', "100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read, from Abi Daré to Zora Neale Hurston" * 2019: ''

Essence Magazine ''Essence'' is a monthly lifestyle magazine covering fashion, beauty, entertainment, and culture. First published in 1970, the magazine is written for African-American women. History Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Jon ...

'' "Best Books of the Decade" (''Gathering of Waters'') * 2019: Longlist,

Women's Prize for Fiction The Women's Prize for Fiction (previously with sponsor names Orange Prize for Fiction (1996–2006 and 2009–12), Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007–08) and Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (2014–2017)) is one of the United Kingdom's m ...

(''Praise Song for the Butterflies'') * 2019: BCALA Honor Award (''Praise Song for the Butterflies'') * 2019; Go On Girl Book Club Author of the Year (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2017: American Book Award (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2017: Winner 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2016: ''Washington Post'' Notable Books of 2016 (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2016: Historical Novel Society "November Editor’s Choice" (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2016: National Reading Group Month/ Great Group Reads Selection (''The Book of Harlan'') * 2016: Award for Excellence in Literature, Art Sanctuary, The Celebration of Black Arts Legacy Awards * 2013: Finalist, Hurston Wright Legacy Award in Fiction (''Gathering of Waters)'' * 2013: National Reading Group Month/Great Group Reads Selection (''Nowhere is a Place'') * 2012: ''The New York Times'' 100 Notable Books (''Gathering of Waters'') * 2012: ''Washington Post'' 50 Best Books (''Gathering of Waters'') * 2012: ''The New York Times'' "Editor’s Choice" (''Gathering of Waters'') February 17, 2012 * 2011: Finalist, Hurston Wright Legacy Award in Fiction (''Glorious'') * 2011: Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Fiction Award ''(Glorious)'' * 2011: Nominated for the 2011 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work ''(Glorious)'' * 2010: ''New York Times Book Review'' (''Glorious'') * 2010: Debut Selection for The One Book, One Harlem Program (''Glorious'') * 2010: ''O Magazine'' "Book to Watch" (''Glorious'') * 2010: Historical Novel Society "Editor’s Choice" (''Glorious)'' * 2007: Short-listed for the Hurston Wright Legacy Award in Fiction (''Nowhere is a Place'') * 2007: National Book Club Conference BeBe Moore Campbell Memorial Literary Award * 2006: ''Washington Post''Best Fiction (''Nowhere is a Place'') * 2004: Subject of The Lifetime Television 20th Anniversary Commercial * 2004: Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Fiction Honor Award (''Loving'', ''Donovan'') * 2002: Shortlisted for the Hurston Wright Legacy Award in Fiction (''The Warmest December'') * 2002: Zora Neale Hurston Society Award for Creative Contribution to Literature * 2001: Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Fiction Honor Award (''Sugar'') * 2001: Black Writer's Alliance, Gold Pen Award, Best Mainstream Fiction (''Sugar'') * 2001: Black Writer's Alliance, Gold Pen Award, Best New Author * 2001: Go On Girl Book Club New Author of the Year Award (''Sugar'') * 2000: ''New York Times Book Review'' (''Sugar'') * 2000: Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers (''Sugar'')

References

External links

Bernice L. McFadden website"Conversation with Bernice McFadden and Terry McMillan"
BRIC. {{DEFAULTSORT:McFadden, Bernice 21st-century American novelists African-American novelists Living people 1966 births Writers from Brooklyn Marymount College, Tarrytown alumni Fordham University alumni American women novelists 21st-century American women writers American Book Award winners Novelists from New York (state) Tulane University faculty American women academics 21st-century African-American women writers 21st-century African-American writers 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women