Joanne C. Hillhouse

Poet, Fiction Writer

Antigua and Barbuda
AG
Email: 
antiguanwriter@gmail.com
Website: 
jhohadli.wordpress.com
Twitter/X: 
@jhohadli
RSS feed: 
jhohadli.wordpress.com/feed/

Author's Bio

Antiguan and Barbudan author Joanne C. Hillhouse is the author of eight books of fiction – children’s picture books Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure (which has a Spanish language edition !Perdida! Una Aventura en el Mar Caribe),  With Grace (a Caribbean fairytale which was a 2017 pick for the USVI Governor’s Summer Read Challenge), The Jungle Outside (published by Harper Collins as part of a series of #ownvoices Caribbean titles that are part of its Big Cat line of children's books), and To be a Cheetah about which one goodreads reader has said, "A really beautiful story that's awe inspiring to both adults and children." (https://jhohadli.wordpress.com/reviews-a...); teen/young adult books Musical Youth (finalist for the Burt Award and a Kirkus Best of 2020 pick, also Kirkus starred review) and first book The Boy from Willow Bend - both on schools reading lists in Antigua and Barbuda and  the Caribbean; and adult contemporary novels Dancing Nude in the Moonlight and Oh Gad! (a 2014 Weekend Reads pick on NPR).  Joanne has also been published in numerous journals and anthologies including NAACP Image award nominated New Daughters of Africa and its abridged German translation Neue Tochter Afrikas (2023), critically acclaimed Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean, and African American Literary Award winning Letter for My Mother. Her characters have been described as "believable and complex" and their stories "compelling". Her writing is said to be "descriptive and poignant", and "powerful and honest" For more visit http://jhohadli.wordpress.com or http://www.facebook.com/JoanneCHillhouse Also check out her literary blog http://wadadlipen.wordpress.com, home of the Wadadli Pen writing programme for young people she started in Antigua and Barbuda in 2004, and https://creativespace12.wordpress.com, platform of her award winning Caribbean art and culture column CREATIVE SPACE.

 

Writers Retreats: 
Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference
Literary agent: 
The Sara Camilli Agency

Publications & Prizes

Fiction

Anthologies:
New Daughters of Africa (HarperCollins Publishers, 2019)
,
Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean (Akashic Books, 2016)
,
A Letter for My Mother (Simon & Schuster, 2014)
,
Round My Christmas Tree (CaribbeanReads, 2014)
,
In the Black: New African Canadian Literature (Insomniac Press, 2012)
,
For Women: In Tribute to Nina Simone (Black Classic Press, 2012)
Books:
The Jungle Outside (Harper Collins, 2021)
,
¡perdida! Una Aventura En El Mar Caribe (CaribbeanReads, 2018)
,
Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure (CaribbeanReads, 2017)
,
With Grace (Editorial Campana, 2016)
,
Dancing Nude in the Moonlight 10th Anniversary Edition and Other Writings (Insomniac Press, 2014)
,
Musical Youth (CaribbeanReads, 2014)
,
Fish Outta Water (Pearson Education, 2013)
,
Oh Gad! (Simon & Schuster, 2012)
,
The Boy from Willow Bend (Hansib, 2009)
,
Dancing Nude in the Moonlight (Macmillan, 2004)
,
The Boy from Willow Bend (Macmillan, 2003)
Journals:
Adda
,
BIM: Arts for the 21st Century
,
Missing Slate
,
Moko
,
Munyori Literary Journal
,
PEN America
,
Poui
,
Sea Breeze: A Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writing
,
St. Somewhere Journal
,
The Caribbean Writer
,
The Machinery
,
Tongues of the Ocean
,
Women Writers

Poetry

Journals:
Artemis
,
BIM: Arts for the 21st Century
,
Calabash
,
Columbia Review
,
Dappled Things
,
Ma Comère
,
Missing Slate
,
Mythium: The Journal of Contemporary Literature

,
Pree
,
sx salon
,
The Caribbean Writer
,
Tongues of the Ocean
Prizes won: 

Lit Arts - Bridget Jones Bursary Award, Society for Caribbean Studies + invited to be Intersect Antigua and Barbuda's inaugural artist-in-residence + Commonwealth short story prize long listing for "Guinep Blossoms" (2024); Anthony N. Sabga Award for Caribbean Excellence (Arts and Letters Laureate) (2023); Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean long listing for stories, respectively "Vincent", "Freedom Cup - The Games are Coming", "The Rumour" (2020, 2021, 2023); Rebel Women Lit Caribbean Readers Awards Honoree (2021); Musical Youth named one of Kirkus Reviews Best of 2020 (2020); Women of Wadadli Award prize for contribution to Literature (2020); The Caribbean Writer Flash Fiction prize for "When We danced" (2015); Burt Award for Caribbean teen/young adult Fiction - 1st runner-up/2nd Place for "Musical Youth" (2014); Short story “Amelia at Devil’s Bridge” was selected from the best Caribbean submissions to the 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for inclusion in Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean (2014); The Missing Slate journal listing "Something Wicked" as its Story of the Week (2014); Honourable Mention for "With Grace" - Desi Writers Lounge Short Story Competition (2014); David Hough Literary Prize from the Caribbean Writer (USVI)(2011); Small Axe Literary (Fiction) Prize short listing for short stories “Genevieve”,  “Amelia at Devil’s Bridge”, respectively (2012, 2013); Fellowship to participate in the Texas A & M Callaloo Writers Workshop at Brown University (2012); Michael and Marilee Fairbanks fellowship to participate in the Breadloaf Writers Conference at Middlebury College (2008); UNESCO Honor Award for outstanding contribution in literary arts - Antigua and Barbuda (2006); fellowship to participate in the Caribbean Fiction Writers Summer Institute at the University of Miami (1995).

Journalism - Caribbean Media Awards People's Choice Awards for CREATIVE SPAFE Caribbean art and culture column (2023); OECS RemLit Journalist Challenge - 3rd place for CREATIVE SPACE art and culture column (2021);  Pan American Health Organization media awards for excellence in health journalism - certificates of merit for feature writing - Antigua-Barbuda (2003, 2005); Environmental Journalist of the Year - Ministry of Tourism and Environment - Antigua and Barbuda (2002)

Other - Plaque for commitment to literacy in Antigua and Barbuda from the Antigua Film Academy (2022);  Catapult Caribbean Creative Arts grant recipient (2020, 2022); Leonard Tim Hector Memorial Award (2014)

Watch

Listen

Personal Favorites

What I'm reading now: 
Private Eyes by Jonathan Kellerman, Things You may find hidden in My Ear by Mosab Abu Toha, Transfer by Apple Gidley, A History of Antigua, the Unsuspected Isle by Brian Dyde, Crossing Over by Ann Morgan, Remnant by Kaiana A. Cannonier , Josephine against The Sea by Shakirah Bourne, Naniki by Oonya Kempadoo

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Black, Caribbean
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Antigua and Barbuda
Raised in: 
Antigua and Barbuda
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Oct 20, 2024