Raven Leilani
@RavenLeilani
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Wrote LUSTER. 2020 Kirkus Prize, Center For Fiction Prize, Dylan Thomas Prize, NBCC First Novel Prize, NBF 5 under 35.
New York, NY
Joined September 2014
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This is insane. I am completely bowled over by the support for this book. Thank you so much to everyone who picked it up, the booksellers who championed it, and my amazing, amazing team. Please bear with me, I’m going to be deeply uncool about this for the foreseeable future.
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In January, Loeffler attended a private covid briefing, diminished the threat in public, and quietly bought stock in teleworking software. In March, my dad contracted covid and died alone in an ICU in Georgia. Never forget how they spit on us and our dead.
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My dad didn’t make it. Feels impossible to grieve knowing how much worse this is going to get. I’m so grateful to everyone who reached out, to everyone on the front lines risking their lives to help. Please keep distancing. Nothing is worth someone you love not coming back home.
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My brother died in September after a long battle with ALS, and one of his last wishes was for us to build a little free library. Today, the incredible people at our local community hospice made this happen. Daim was a painter and would have loved this. I’m completely overcome.
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This week my brother passed away. He was a brilliant artist, the reason I wanted to be one. He left so much beautiful work behind. Can’t believe I’m grieving my dad and brother this year. Anyone out there trying to find a way through what feels like bottomless grief, I see you.
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if you are the stranger who just sent me two pounds of crab meat, please reveal yourself. I feel seen but also scared
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I won’t get over this. Thank you
@KirkusReviews
for this incredible honor. Thank you Chang-rae Lee. Thank you to
@fsgbooks
and everyone who supported this book and supported me as I found my way through it. To be honored along with so many incredible writers. It’s unreal.
Congratulations to the 2020 winner of the Kirkus Prize for Fiction,
@RavenLeilani
, author of LUSTER, and the youngest winner in our prize's history! If you're just tuning in, the Kirkus Prize ceremony is happening live at:
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My dad is in Georgia fighting for his life, alone. He tested positive and was isolated right after he was hospitalized. He’s not doing well. My mom and stepdad are in NY caring for my terminally ill brother. There is so much to lose. So many at risk. If you can, please stay home.
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What is this simulation I am living in. What are words. Thank you
@BarackObama
!!
As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to share my annual lists of favorites. I’ll start by sharing my favorite books this year, deliberately omitting what I think is a pretty good book – A Promised Land – by a certain 44th president. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did.
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👀
The
@KillingEve
star talks about her pandemic routine, which features skin care, no makeup and a good dose of self reflection.
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I’m so excited to share that I will be joining
@OleMiss
in the spring. Thank you to the faculty and students. You all have already made me feel so welcome. Honored to be counted among the esteemed writers who’ve held this position in the past.
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This is some hardcore shit lol did the baby like the book
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My aunt called to check in because my paintings have been “a little melancholy lately” 😭 so I tried to do something more upbeat and lol
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So moved by you all today. Thank you to everyone who read and reached out with their own grieving / coping / not coping experiences. Thank you to
@astra_mag
and the brilliant
@AriaAber
for editing me.
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When I came home with my piercings and Dylan Thomas tattoo my mom asked me when I would stop “mutilating” myself and now I guess I can say I was manifesting. Thank you
@dylanthomprize
and
@picadorbooks
for affirming that teenage girl in Miami waiting for the needle to come down.
🏆 Our 2021
@swanseauni
@dylanthomprize
winner is Raven Leilani (
@RavenLeilani
) for her 'fearless' debut novel, 'Luster.' Congratulations to Raven and all at
@picadorbooks
@fsgbooks
🎊
#SUDTP21
PRESS RELEASE:
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Obliterated my sciatic nerve immediately after this photo but s/o to the folks
@PicadorUSA
for this gorgeous paperback
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Thank you so much to
@bookcritics
for this and for giving me a few minutes to thank the mentors and teachers who kept me honest and curious, without whom there would be no book.
The winner of the 2020 NBCC John Leonard Prize is
@RavenLeilani
for “Luster,” published by
@fsgbooks
!
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Stop snitching! Let people be shady online (which is what twitter dot com is for) and leave me out of it. People are allowed to feel how they feel about the book and also I have feelings man come on
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Completely over the moon. I’ve admired
@WomensPrize
for so long and it is wild to see my book here. So much love to my
@picadorbooks
team and everyone who has read and reached out (on here and elsewhere) to let me know. I see you, thank you for seeing me.
We are delighted to reveal the 2021
#WomensPrize
longlist 🙌
HUGE congratulations to all of our longlisted authors.
To discover this year's sixteen spectacular books, head to our website:
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Just found out my mom has been whipping out my Instagram to win fights in church
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This is absolutely unreal. Just incredible to be included in this spectacular group of writers.
We are so pleased to announce the long list for the 2020 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize today! The winner receives a $15,000 prize with each shortlisted author receiving $1,000.
View the list:
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I can’t get over his kids seeing that. I think of how carefully my parents provided me the tools to live. They were hard with me but so intentional in how they protected my wonder. Black kids deserve bliss. It’s such intricate work to give them that, and it’s so casually undone.
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I keep saying how unreal this all feels but today, especially so. I feel so lucky that I get to do the work I love, and I am so thankful for everyone who has helped me along and engaged with my work with rigor and care. Thank you
@bycdl
!
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The last time I was in a room full of people was
@Center4Fiction
. It was February, I was reading for
@YaleReview
and so, so nervous. So many people I love came out, and I’ve missed that so much, but I feel that again tonight. Thank you for your support, for this incredible honor.
"Thank you to everyone who came to this book with generosity—it has really meant everything." —Raven Leilani accepting the 2020 First Novel Prize for her debut LUSTER
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More than anything today, I feel gratitude. This is my dream, and I never expected it to look like this. Thank you to my wondrous editor
@MsJennaJohnson
, to the
@fsgbooks
team, to Ellen, my family, friends, mentors and my partner for lifting me up. There’d be no book without you.
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Last winter I took a trip alone, planned around art I wanted to see up close, a trip that for most of my life, felt improbable. In London, I met my
@picadorbooks
fam. It felt like yet another improbable thing, so I took this (horrible lol) photo and today I return to that moment.
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Excited to share that the Italian edition of Luster will be out on 1/14/21 from
@LaFeltrinelli
✨
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Luster is out in the UK today and I can’t believe my luck to have such a tireless, passionate, brilliant team
@picadorbooks
. Seeing all this support across the pond is truly tripping me out. To everyone who took the time during this wild year to support and welcome me, thank you!
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I feel such gratitude to be included in this brilliant group. Thank you
@nationalbook
@fsgbooks
and thank you to the absolutely supreme Susan Choi. Feel so lucky to be seen by my heroes and be here with
@k_mingchang
@zafatista
@fatimafmirza
and
@cpamzhang
.
We are thrilled to share the 2020 5 Under 35 honorees with you!
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In Indiana for the first time and this rejection letter at the
@VonnegutLibrary
is something else
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A month ago, I called my mother and we holed up in our respective closets so I could read this piece to her, and now I would like to share it here. It is the most bare I think I'll ever be in writing, and I'm thankful for the space to grapple with these god questions out loud.
"A year after I left home, I took my mother to dinner and told her I could no longer keep the Sabbath," writes
@RavenLeilani
. "I tried to explain that I had looked for God on my own and found nothing there."
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Luster has been longlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein Award and the PEN/Hemingway Award and I’m over the moon. Thank you to
@PENamerica
and the judges and big congrats to all the finalists!
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Happy to share that the Russian edition of Luster is coming soon from AST✨
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Just wanted to thank everyone who reached out about my family, and everyone who has lifted up my work. We’re all going through it this year, so it means a lot that so many of you still brought such generosity to my work and showed up to help make the grief less lonely.
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Woke up this morning to the most surreal, beautiful thing. A Luster mural in Brixton by three incredible artists—
@CarleenDeSozer
,
@leehybriddesire
, and Claire Kaitesi. It’s a crazy honor to be a part of your work. Thank you
@picadorbooks
and
@Jack__Arts
. I’m speechless.
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Days after my dad died of covid his governor was out here upset about closed bowling alleys. My mom has so little hope of being helped, she says if she gets sick she’d rather stay home and die. Our executioners kill us with their hands in their pockets and ask us for peace.
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My trolls used to call me the usual slurs or show me the usual genitals and be on their way but now they write me poetry, actual free verse, about how my book sucks so I guess that is progress
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Shout out to the incredible designers of the us and uk covers of Luster. Thank you
@OKAY_NA
and
@book_covers_etc
for your gorgeous work.
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Luster is now out in Italy! Thank you to
@LaFeltrinelli
and to
@IlariaPiperno
and
@stellasacchini
for this beautiful translation.
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Spent the first half of my twenties beneath various libraries piecing together flaked film and digitizing illuminated texts, and much of my childhood in the stacks at my school library, where I always felt safe. Thank you
@nypl
. I can’t say how much this means.
@RavenLeilani
Congratulations! Luster by Raven Leilani is one of
@NYPL
's 2020
#BestBooks
for Adults!
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So I wrote my first personal essay and naturally it is about god and comic con. Thank you to
@esquire
and my wonderful editor
@adriennemwest
!
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New Megan and now THIS?? Shout out to my amazing editor
@MsJennaJohnson
for tolerating my loud emails first thing in the morning. Huge thank you to
@nytimesbooks
for including me here with this **extremely** talented crew.
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Extremely cool to have my short story “Breathing Exercise” in the new pushcart anthology. Thank you to the editors and to
@YaleReview
, where it first published. Grateful to have had
@meghanor
’s and
@katiekitamura
’s careful edits as I sweated over the draft.
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Very excited to share that Luster will be published with Modernista in Sweden and Otava in Finland 🇫🇮 🇸🇪
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No crisis I’ve had with a draft can stand up to what it feels like to be read like this. I’ve been lucky to see my work through the eyes of some of my favorite writers, and
@GarthGreenwell
sees everything. Thank you
@sewaneereview
and
@adamrosswriter
✨
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Thank you
@Center4Fiction
and
@fsgbooks
. This is incredible. Shout out to
@aminamemory
@dracm
@hilsaphina
@Doug_D_Stuart
Corey Sobel and
@cpamzhang
💕
Thrilled to announce the Short List for the 2020 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize!
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thinking about how my mom sent me off to college with The Who's Tommy album and a hot pink king james bible
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Thank you
@mcnallyjackson
and
@greenlightbklyn
for having me in to sign. Still so cool to see my book in the wild. And while I’m here—big thanks to a few more of my local bookstores (
@booksaremagicbk
@Center4Fiction
@CommunityBkstr
@UnnameableB
) for your tireless work and support
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Today the French edition of Luster (“Affamée”) is officially out from
@lecherchemidi
! Thank you to Nathalie Bru for this beautiful translation. Thank you to Marie Misandeau, Nora Rawn and to
@Clemgold
for this lovely piece in
@ELLEfrance
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What is life that I get to be in the company of
@thatTola
@julianadlopera
Elena Ferrante, James McBride and
@Doug_D_Stuart
! Thank you
@KirkusReviews
for this incredible honor.
🥁DRUM ROLL, PLEASE 🥁Introducing the finalists for the 2020 Kirkus Prize:
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Thank you to
@SaintHenriBooks
for designing this beautiful event poster for my chat with the luminous
@weirdera
—inspired by Donna Summer’s Four Seasons of Love. I can’t get over it.
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Much love to the
@nypl
for letting me recommend some gorgeous, necessary books—
@AriaAber
@k_mingchang
@AngelaFlournoy
@francinejharris
@proseb4bros
@katiekitamura
@illuminatemics
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Guess I better pack it up because it’s not getting better than this
Saidiya Hartman just told me to read Luster I feel like
@RavenLeilani
would want to know! It’s been on my list but now the heat is on ❤️🔥
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fuck a center part. the day 100 gecs got ahold of hybrid theory I decided to accept my obsolescence with dignity
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Well I’m just gonna pack it up and go now because I was in yesterday’s
@USATODAY
crossword??? Good night
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I feel so lucky to have been able to gather with such brilliant, intentional writers tonight and so thankful for the kindness of the writers who paved the way. Thank you to
@nationalbook
, thank you to Susan Choi for selecting me, and thank you to all the honorees.
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If you’re in Chicago, Mary Simpson has a beautiful show at the Haynes Court Gallery. A series of paintings inspired by books. This one is inspired by Luster and that is probably the coolest sentence I’ll ever write. (Edie, Oil on Canvas) !!
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Got to rec some books that have moved me for
@Bookshop_Org
💕
@brywashing
@adalimon
@NadiaOwusu1
@GarthGreenwell
@mdermansky
@dantielwmoniz
@LeesaCrossSmith
@MorganJerkins
@gojeanfraziergo
@NaoiseDolan
@literarytswift
@surlybassey
@BeeBabs
@NotRollergirl
“These are books that have fed me… they've kept me company, made me jealous, reminded me why I write.”
Discover
@RavenLeilani
’s recommended reads!📚
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Love every single one of these books and I’m so happy to be here among them. Thank you to the judges and
@PENamerica
for selecting Luster as a finalist!
Congratulations to the PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD FOR DEBUT NOVEL finalists
@Doug_D_Stuart
,
@RavenLeilani
,
@incrediblekdub
,
@dracm
&
@cpamzhang
: .
#PENLitAwards
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German edition of Luster (“Hautnah”) coming in September from Atlantik ✨
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Met
@elainehsiehchou
as we were both beginning to write our books. An absolute trip to hold this in my hands after watching her do this hard, beautiful work. So proud of you.
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👀
ANOTHER ONE! 🔊🔊🔊 Luster by
@RavenLeilani
is on the NYT bestsellers list for another week. so well deserved!
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So excited to share that I am in Harper’s Bazaar! Thank you
@harpersbazaarus
for including me and my self-portrait in the Feb issue, and thank you to Zadie for writing such a beautiful piece about my book. Also so honored to appear alongside fellow nominee, Tonia Nneji.
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French edition of Luster (“Affamée” !!!) coming in February from
@lecherchemidi
! Translated by Nathalie Bru.
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So excited to share that Luster found a wonderful German home with Hoffmann und Campe!
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"An unstable ballet of race, sex, and power." Thank you to
@KirkusReviews
for this beautiful starred review!
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Love this brilliant group. Thank you
@bookcritics
!
The finalists for the 2020 John Leonard Prize, given to the best first book in any genre, are Kerri Arsenault, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, Raven Leilani, Megha Majumdar, Douglas Stuart, Brandon Taylor, and C Pam Zhang.
#NBCCAwards
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Took a walk and had a perfect morning pizza with
@IsaacFitzgerald
💕
"It feels like right now everyone’s a little bit horny, everyone’s a little bit scared, and I feel like when those two come together, it’s a primal state. And that’s where change comes from."
This week's Walk It Off features
@RavenLeilani
. 🍓✨
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Some incredible news and incredible company. Thank you to the Gotham Book Prize!
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Extremely excited to share the cover for the UK edition of Luster, designed by the incredible
@book_covers_etc
! Thank you to
@KishWidyaratna
and the whole
@picadorbooks
fam for everything you do💕
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I am really, truly all out of words. This is a dream. Thank you to everyone who showed up for this book. Grateful to my
@picadorbooks
fam—
@ansa_khan
@gabrielaquattro
@KishWidyaratna
@m_constantinoux
@katiebowdy
@paulmartinovic
—You all are the mvps
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The ARCs are in and I’m in love. Thank you to
@fsgbooks
@MsJennaJohnson
@Trident_Media
@KishWidyaratna
. This is too cool.
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I literally cannot look at any self portrait I’ve made without feeling utter embarrassment and here
@beccasaltz
comes with this. Incredible
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Thank you to
@FirstNovelVCU
and the
@VCUEnglish
students who rode for this book. Thank you to my
@fsgbooks
fam and thank you to the Black women who were doing this before I could put a sentence together, who did it better, with inimitable panache, and made sure you knew it.
🤩 ANNOUNCING ~THE WINNER OF THE 2021 VCU CABELL FIRST NOVELIST AWARD 🤩...
...and the winner is...
"LUSTER" by
@RavenLeilani
. Congrats! to the author &
@fsgbooks
on a beautiful, stellar, wild ride of a book. We couldn't put it down!
@VCUEnglish
@VCUCHS
@VCULibraries
@vcucns
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As always, in awe of
@surlybassey
’s mind. Loved this profile and felt such an intense pang of recognition to see the family cassette player as a formative site of collaboration and art making !!!
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