2010 IWP Participants

Ghada ABDEL AAL (fiction writer, screenwriter; Egypt) is a pharmacist and regular columnist for the Egyptian daily newspaper Al Shorouk and the seasonal magazine Black and White. Her satirical novel Aiza Atgawez [ عايزة أتجوز] has been translated into Italian, German, and Dutch, and turned into a television series.  The English translation, I Want to Get Married!, is due out in October 2010.  She curates the online blog www.wanna-b-a-bride.blogspot.com.  Her participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.Selection from work

Hinemoana BAKER (poet; New Zealand) has worked as a Māori and ESOL educator, a radio journalist, collaborated on many stage, film, sound, and radio productions, and toured extensively as a musician/performer. Her first collection of poems, mātuhi(‘needle’), appeared in 2004. She has since co-edited the anthology Kaupapa: New Zealand Poets, World Issues, and the online journal 4th Floor. The 2009 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence, she has a new book, koiwi koiwi (bone bone), coming out in 2010; she blogs atwww.hinemoana.co.nz. She participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Photo: Gareth Watkins

Ismail BALA (poet; Nigeria) is a lecturer at Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria. In addition to his many academic publications, his poetry and translations have appeared in the UK, the US, Canada, India, and South Africa, in journals such as Poetry Review, Ambit, New Coin, Okike, and A Review of International English Literature. He has also co-edited a number of anthologies of Nigerian poetry, including Pyramids: An Anthology of Poems from Northern Nigeria (2008), Fireflies: An Anthology of New Nigerian Poetry (2009), andCrumbled Spell: Association of Nigerian Authors Anthology of Poetry (2010). He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Amilcar BETTEGA (fiction writer, translator; Brazil) is the author of three books of fiction: O Vôo da trapezista [The Flying Trapeze] and Deixe o quarto como está [Leave the Room As It Is], both of which won the Açorianos Prize for Literature in 1995 and 2003, respectively; and Os lados do círculo [The Sides of the Circle], which garnered the 2005 Portugal Telecom Prize of Literature. Widely published in journals, anthologies, and magazines, he has also translated de Maupassant from the French, and attended residencies in the U.S., France, Switzerland as well as Brazil. He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Miłosz BIEDRZYCKI (poet, translator; Poland),an engineer by trade, is the author of six volumes of poetry. The most recent, Sofostrofa i inne wiersze (2007) was shortlisted for the 2008 Gdynia Literary Prize. A trilingual volume (Polish, Slovenian, Italian) of selected poems was published in 2003 in Slovenia. His work has appeared regularly in English translation: in the 2002 Zephyr Press anthology Carnivorous Boy, Carnivorous Bird; in the U.S. journals Chicago Review, Zoland Poetry, Fence, Lyric Poetry Review, Periphery, and (forthcoming) the Boston Review. In summer 2010, Zephyr will bring out 69, a volume of selected poems. Miłosz Biedrzycki's residency is organized in association with the Polish Cultural Institute in New York within its Poland-U.S. Artists-In-Residence Exchange Program. Selection from work

Ian Rosales CASOCOT (fiction writer; the Philippines) teaches English and Literature at Silliman University. In 2002 he edited FutureShock Prose: An Anthology of Young Writers and New Literatures, nominated as Best Anthology in the National Book Awards. Widely awarded as an anthologist and short story writer, he published his first collection, Old Movies and Other Stories, in 2005. His novel Sugar Land was long listed for the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize. His participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila.Selection from work

Alan CHERCHESOV (fiction writer; Russia) has published the novels Requiem for Living(1994; and, in English, Northwestern University Press, 2005), [Wreath for the Grave of the Wind, 2000], and [Villa Belle-Lettre, 2005], as well as short stories; he is currently working on his fourth novel, Don Ivan. His translation of Wambaugh’s The New Centurionsappeared in 1992. Cherchesov is the president of the Institute of Civilization, a private educational institute in Vladikavkaz, in North Ossetia. The recipient of a number of literary prizes, he was a finalist for the 2001 and 2006 Russian Booker Awards. His participation is provided courtesy of the William B. Quarton Foundation. Selection from work

CHO Yong Mee (poet, essayist; South Korea) is the recipient of the 2005 Kim Dal Jin Literary Prize. She is the author of four poetry collections; Anxiety Encroaches upon a Soul (1996), Ten Thousand Fish Fly up a Mountain (2000), Self Portrait in Hempen Mourning Clothes (2004), and Cherry Trees Blossoming in My Cottage (2007). Cho Yong Mee has also published a collection of essays, titled One Hundred Years on an Island (2007). Since 2009, she’s written a regular column for KyungHyang newspaper. She participates courtesy of the Korea Literature Translation Institute (KLTI). Selection from work

Chandrahas CHOUDHURY (fiction writer, critic; India) is based in Mumbai. His book reviews and essays appear weekly in the Indian newspaper Mint Lounge, and have been published in dailies, magazines and journals worldwide. His short stories are included in the anthologies India, First Proof 2, and India Shining. He is the editor of India: A Traveler’s Literary Companion and writes the literary weblog “The Middle Stage” (atmiddlestage.blogspot.com). His first novel, Arzee the Dwarf, was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth First Book Award. He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Najwan DARWISH (poet, critic; Palestine) works in his native Jerusalem.  His first poetry collection, [He was Knocking at the Last Door] was published in 2000; selections of his work have been translated into English, French and Spanish. In 2009 Darwish was selected by the Beirut39 Festival as one of the best Arab-language writers under the age of 39.  He is the editor of the Min wa Illa magazine, which publishes the works of Arab writers and artists in the region. He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Photo: Veronique Vercheval

Laura FISH (fiction writer; England) has over a decade’s experience in broadcast television and radio, working for the BBC in news, current affairs, light entertainment and on documentaries. She has held posts as a Creative Writing tutor at St. Andrews University; the University of Western Cape, South Africa and the University of East Anglia. She is the author of the novels Flight of Black Swans (1995) and Strange Music (2008), which was listed for the 2009 Orange Prize, and nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. She holds the RCUK Academic Fellowship in Creative Writing at Newcastle University. Her participation is privately funded. Selection from work

Ofir TOUCHE GAFLA (fiction writer; Israel) has written scripts for animation, a rock opera, and children’s stories.  His first book [End’s World ] won the 2004 Geffen Award for Best SF/Fantasy,  and the Kugel Award for Hebrew Literature.  Since then he has published [The Cataract in the Mind’s Eye] (2005), [Behind the Fog] (2007), and [The Day the Music Died] (2010).  His stories have appeared in the anthologies A Full Stomach, When Madeleine Stowe is Crying,  News From the Underworld, and Icon Book, in journals such asNails, Time-Out and Thesis, and on-line at Ynet. He teaches creative writing at Sam Spiegel School of Cinema in Jerusalem. His participation is made possible by the Fulbright Foundation of Israel. Selection from work

Gonzalo GARCES (fiction writer; Argentina/Chile). A professor of creative writing at the Catholic University of Chile, Garces is the author of Diciembre [December] (1997), Los Impacientes [The Impatient Ones] (2000), and El Futuro [The Future] (2003). His short tories and essays have appeared in anthologies and magazines, including Letras Libres, El Mercurio, Ñ, La Nación, La Joven Guardia, Palabra de América, and El Futuro no es nuestro. He is the recipient of the 1990 Colihue Short Story Award, as well as the 2000 Biblioteca Breve Award. His fourth novel, El Plan [The Plan], is forthcoming. His participation is co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Chile. Selection from work

David HILL (children’s novelist; New Zealand) has written 27 novels for children and young adults, published in twelve countries and in seven languages.  Recent titles includeDuet, The River Runs, and Fire on High.  Winner of numerous awards, Hill has also published several plays for teenagers, short stories, plays, and poetry for children in magazines, anthologies, and on radio.  His short stories have appeared in The Listener, Landfall, Takahe, Bravado, and are anthologized in The New Zealand Book of the Beach 2and The Best New Zealand Fiction 5.  He writes book reviews and a column for theListener. He also writes book reviews, and a column for the Listener. His participation is provided courtesy of Creative New Zealand. Selection from work

Andrea HIRATA (novelist; Indonesia) has authored six books, including a popular tetralogy. The first in the series, Laskar Pelangi [The Rainbow Troops](2005), was a 2008 bestseller and was adapted for the screen, followed by Sang Pemimpi [The Dreamer] (2006), Edensor [Edensor] (2008), and Maryamah Karpov [Maryamah Karpov] (2009). He has the 2007 Change Agent Award from Republika Newspaper, and the 2008 Satya Lencana Wirakarya award. His latest works are the novels, Padang Bulan [The Field of Moon] andCinta di Dalam Gelas [Love Inside the Glass]. His participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. Selection from work

HON Lai Chu (fiction writer, novelist; Hong Kong). In 2004 her anthology of short stories [Silent Creature] won the Hong Kong Biennial Award for Chinese Literature for fiction. Her 2006 novel [Kite Family], first published as a novella, won the New Writer’s Novella first prize from Taiwan’s Unitas Literary Association; the extended version was one of the 2008’s Books of the Year by China Times in Taiwan. [Kite Family] as well as her latest work, [Grey Flower], were selected as Top 10 Chinese Novels World-wide for the year 2008 and 2009 respectively. She participates in the program thanks to a grant from The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation in Hong Kong. Selection from work

Anisul HOQUE (fiction writer, playwright, poet; Bangladesh), author of more than 60 books, Hoque also writes poetry, television and film scripts, and a newspaper column.  His novels include Aetodin Kothai Chhilen [Where Have You Been] (2009), which won the Citi Bank-Anando Alo Award for Best Novel; Maa [Mother] (2003); Andhokarer Aeksho Bachhor[One Hundred Years of Darkness] (1993) and others.  He has written for many television dramas and four feature-length films, receiving awards as a fiction writer and playwright. Trained as a civil engineer, Hoque is now the deputy editor of the daily Prothom Alo. He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

JIN Renshun (fiction writer, screenwriter; China) is a fiction writer and screenwriter of Korean ethnicity. For a decade an editor at the literary journal 春风 (Spring Breeze), she is now a free-lance writer. Her major works include a novel, 春香 (Spring Fragrance) and the short story collections 彼此 (Each Other), 爱情冷气流 (The Cold Front of Love), 月光啊月光 (Moonlight oh Moonlight). Jin Renshun is also the screenwriter for the films绿茶 (Green Tea) (dir. Zhang Yuan, 2003) and 时尚先生 (Esquire Runway) (dir. Qiao Liang, 2008). Her participation is made possible by the Freeman Foundation. Selection from work

Billy Karanja KAHORA (fiction writer, nonfiction writer; Kenya) is the Managing Editor of the journal Kwani. His writings have been published in Granta, Kwani and Vanity Fair. He has recently edited Kenya Burning, and is an Editor of the Picha Mtaani/Kwani book project. He has a book of creative nonfiction, The True Story of David Munyakei(2009), as well as the script credit for Soul Boy (2010, Dir. Tom Tykwer). He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.Selection from work

Anja KAMPMANN (poet, fiction writer; Germany) studied poetry and prose at the German Literature Institute in Leipzig, and has published ork in several literature magazines and anthologies such as Akzente, Federlesen, Eisfischen , Privataufnahme andNeue Rundschau , and finished her studies with a novel called [The Upper Field ].A recipient of the Irseer Pegasus Writers Award, she is working on a doctoral thesis on Samuel Beckett. She participates courtesy of the Max Kade Foundation. Selection from work

Farhad A.K. Sulliman KHOYRATTY (fiction writer, editor, translator; Mauritius) teaches at the University of Mauritius. His short story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” was published in Jungfrau: A Selection of Works From the Caine Prize for African Writing (2007). Other pieces have appeared in Mauritian Impressions 2010, Journeys, Farafina Literary Journal, Mauritian Voices – New Writing in English, and in the PEN anthologyAfrican Compass, and elsewhere. He has also edited numerous collections and anthologies, including Mauritian Writers’ Association Commemorative Literary Magazine 2002 andStopovers in a Poet’s Mind (2010). He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

KIM Sa-in (poet, critic, editor; South Korea) has published two collections of poetry,Night Letters (1987) and Liking in Silence (2006), four collections of criticism, including  A Deep Reading of the Novels of Park Sang-Ryung (2001), and a book of essays, A Warm Bowl of Rice (2006).  Following time in prison in the early 1980s he began writing poetry and co- founded the magazine "Poetry and Economy."  Among his awards are the Sin Dong-Yup Grant for Writing (1987), Modern Literature Prize for poetry (2005), and the Daesan Literature Prize for poetry (2006).  He teaches creative writing at Dongduk Women's University, and hosts broadcast programs devoted to poetry and spirituality. His participation is made possible by Arts Council Korea. Selection from work

Christopher KLOEBLE (novelist, playwright, screen writer; Germany) has studied in Dublin, at the German Creative Writing Program Leipzig and at the University for Film in Munich and written for Süddeutsche Zeitung, His plays “U-Turn” and “Memory”,  have been staged  in  major theatres in Vienna, Munich, Heidelberg and Nuremberg.  For his first novel [Amongst Loners] he won the Juergen Ponto-Stiftung prize; his second book [A Knock at the Door] was published 2009. The third,  [A Hidden Human], will appear in 2011; his first movie script will also be produced that year. His participation is privately funded. Selection from work

Turusbek MADILBAY (writer, translator; Kyrgyzstan) is the editor of The New Literature of Kyrgyzstan. His books include [The Sufferings of Young Berdi] (2008), [Phoenix] (2008), and [Wall] (1990); the documentary tales [They Always Came Together…] (2004) and [Coronet for the Noble Man] (2003); and the encyclopedia [Ketmen-tobo] (2002-2007).  He has translated Verlaine, Twain, Hemingway, Wilde, de Saint-Exupery, and Mahmud al-Kashgary; he is the recipient of numerous literary awards and a Soros Foundation prize.  He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Michael McKimm (poet; Northern Ireland/UK) lives in London, where he works for the Geological Society Library. A winner of the 2007 Eric Gregory Award, he has published in journals and anthologies, including Best Irish Poetry in English 2010; he reviews regularly for The Warwick Review. His first collection of poetry is Still This Need (Heaventree Press, 2009). He participates courtesy the British Council. Selection from work

Photo © Liam Davenport, 2009

Maryia MARTYSEVICH (poet, essayist, translator; Belarus) is the author of of a book of essays in verse and prose titled Цмокі лятуць на нераст (2008)while also frequently contributing to various media projects, including “34” (www.34mag.net), “Novy chas” (www.novychas.org), RFE/Radio Liberty (www.svaboda.org), the arts and literature magazines pARTisan, ARCHE (www.arche.by), and Дзеяслоў (www.dziejaslou.by), as well as blogs. She also translates from Czech, English, Polish and Ukrainian. She participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.Selection from work

H. M. NAQVI (fiction writer; Pakistan) has had his debut novel Home Boy published by Random House in 2009.  He has taught creative writing at Boston University and Georgetown University, worked as a banker, and ran a spoken-word venue.  He has written for Forbes and the Global Post, and his poems have been broadcast on BBC and NPR.  A recipient of the Phelam Prize and a Lannan Fellowship, he now resides in Karachi His participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Consulate in Karachi. Selection from work

Khin Maung NYO (fiction writer, translator; Myanmar) has taught chemistry at Rangoon University for 26 years. A former editor of Customs Journal, he has published eleven books of fiction, and five volumes of translation from the English. He is also a painter and composer, and hosts a weekly program for Mandalay FM radio as well as the TV show “Sunday Talk.” Selection from work

O Thiam Chin (fiction writer; Singapore) is the author of three collections of stories, [Free-Falling Man] (2006), [Never Been Better] (2009), and [Under The Sun] (2010).  His short stories have been featured in Asia Literary Review, Kyoto Journal, The Jakarta Post, Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, Asia Writes, and in several anthologies. His collection Never Been Better was long-listed for the 2010 Frank O’Conner Short Story Award. His participation is made possible by a grant from the Singapore Arts Council. Selection from work

Pola OLOIXARAC (fiction writer, translator; Argentina) is the author of Las teorías salvajes [The Wild Theories] (2008) forthcoming in French, Dutch and Portuguese translations.  Her articles and essays on culture and technology have appeared in journals and magazines such as Radar, Revista Clarín, Etiqueta Negra, Quimera, Brando,andAmérica Economía; she is the recipient of a literary award from the Fondo Nacional de las Artes.   Her blog can be found at: melpomenemag.blogspot.com. She participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.Selection from work

Beverly PEREZ REGO (poet, translator; Venezuela) is the author of five volumes of poetry, Artes del vidrio (1992), Libro de cetrería (1994), Providencia (1998), Grimorio(2002), and Escurana (2004); collected in 2006 as Poesía reunida. Her poems have appeared in numerous anthologies, and she has also translated works by Alejandro Oliveros and Louise Glück. Perez Rego received the Rafael Bolívar Coronado Biennial Literary Prize in Poetry and the Elías David Curiel Poetry Award. She participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

Edgar Calabia SAMAR (novelist, poet; Philippines), from San Pablo City, is the author of two books of poetry, Pag-aabang sa Kundiman: Isang Tulambuhay [Waiting at Kundiman: A Biopoetics] (2006) and Isa Na Namang Pagtingala sa Buwan [One More View of the Moon] (2005). His 2009 novel, Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog [Eight Muses of the Fall], was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize and won the NCCA Writer’s Prize for the Novel. He has also written the children’s book, Uuwi na ang Nanay Kong si Darna [My Mother Darna is Coming Home] (2002). Widely awarded, Samar teaches Philippine Literature and Creative Writing at Ateneo de Manila University. His participation is made possible by the Freeman Foundation. Selection from work

Albana SHALA (poet, fiction writer, translator; Netherlands) grew up in Albania, where she worked as editor before moving to the Netherlands in 1995. She now coordinates the media programs in Kosovo and in the Caucasus at the Press Now Foundation.  Her work has appeared in journals and magazines in Albania, Kosovo, Austria and the Netherlands; she has performed at literary events in the Netherlands and Belgium.  In 2008 her first poetry collection Papa Dixhital was awarded the Migjeni prize by the Ministry of Culture of Albania; a second collection, Paradise in Orange, is forthcoming.  Her participation is privately funded. Selection from work

Farangis SIAHPOOR (filmmaker, scriptwriter, fiction writer; Iran) has written, directed and produced [Once Upon a Time], The Day After Tomorrow, and Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce, the experimental Fly’s Eye, and the documentaries Ferdosi and Situation.  Her credits include work as editor, cinematographer, producer, production designer and script supervisor.  She has served as a referee for film festivals at Tehran University, and is the author of a collection of short stories [It Passes You By] and the play Irani Eyd. She blogs at www.cinemapen.com. She participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from Work

Sölvi Björn SIGURÐSSON (fiction writer, novelist, poet, translator; Iceland) is the author of three books of poetry and the novels Radio Selfoss (2003), The Murakami Girlfriend (2006), and The Last Days of My Mother (2009), also out in Danish.  A translator of classical poetry, he has also received distinguished nominations for his translation of Rimbaud’s A Season In Hell. In 2001, he edited an anthology of poetry by Iceland’s youngest poet generation of poets. His Diabolical Comedy, a modern take on The Divine Comedy, has been translated into Finnish, Swedish and Danish. His participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik. Selection from work

Chehem WATTA (poet, novelist, fiction writer; Djibouti), teaches at the Medical School and is the HIV/AIDS advisor to the president of the Djibouti Republic, as well as an awarded poet.   He is the author of four poetry collections, O pays, perle sur la langue-routes pour le monde (2005), Cahier de brouillon des poèmes du desert (1999) Pèlerin d’errance (1997), and Sur les soleils de Houroud (1997), of the novel Amours nomades[Loves of Nomads] (2008) and the novella L'eloge des voyous [In praise of louts] (2008).  He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Selection from work

XU Zechen (novelist, fiction writer; China), an editor at People's Literature Magazine, is the author of three novels午夜之门 [The Gate of Midnight] (2007), 天上人间 [The Heaven and the World] (2009) and 夜火车 [The Night Train] (2009), as well as the short-story collections  鸭子是怎么飞上天的 [How Can a Duck Fly] (2006), 跑步穿过中关村 [Running through Zhongguancun] (2008), and 人间烟火 [The Earthly Life] (2009).  [Hello Beijing], based on his short story, won an award for Best Television Movie.  He also co-wrote the screenplay for [My Hard Boat], which won the best foreign picture award at the Action on Film International Film Festival.  Zechen’s work has received numerous literary awards and is translated into German, Korean, English, and Dutch. His participation is provided courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Selection from work

YING Feng-Huang (fiction writer, literary critic; Taiwan, ROC)  teaches at the National Taipei University of Education. She has published critical theory extensively in Chinese and, in English, The Literary Development of Zhong Lihe and Postcolonial Discourse in Taiwan and Reassessing Taiwan’s Literary Field of the 1950s.  She is also the author of Bookworm as Me (Taipei,2010), a collection of short stories. Her participation is privately funded. Selection from work

Photo: Chen Wen-Fa

Special Visitors

An Ida Cordelia Beam Distinguished Visiting Professor, Horacio CASTELLANOS MOYA is the author of nine novels and five books of short stories, which together have made him a leading literary figure in the Spanish-speaking world. Moya was born in Honduras in 1957, but his family moved to El Salvador when he was only a few years old. During the civil war there (1979-1992), Moya twice fled the country, the first time for Canada, and the second time for Mexico City. His first novel, La diáspora (1988) won the Premio Nacional de la Novela. His third novel, El asco, Thomas Bernhard en El Salvador(1997), forced him into exile. His novels have been translated into French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Hebrew, Serbian, and English. New Directions publishedSenselessness in 2008 and She-Devil in the Mirror in 2009; Biblioasis published Dance with Snakes in 2009. Through City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, he has settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a visiting professor at the University of Pittsburgh.   Photo: Iván Giménez