James Steele

James Steele is a prolific author best known for his historical fiction and debut novel, Capturing Freedom. He has won the Holtzbrinck Prize for Exceptional Literary Achievement, the Manly Wade Wellman Award for Best Novel, the Alex Award for Fiction Best Adaptation, and the Key West Literary Seminar Best New Author.

James Steele was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began writing at a young age. He grew up in New York state and his writing reflects his upbringing, with characters facing the challenges of poverty, poverty-related issues and class struggles. In his novels, he transports his readers to the mid-20th century, where they follow layered narratives of compelling and interesting characters.

A graduate of Stanford University, James Steele developed his master's degree in Fine Arts at the University of Utah. His award-winning debut novel, Capturing Freedom, tells the story of a family of former slaves during the Reconstruction Era and the struggles they endure in their fight to free themselves from a cruel and oppressive past. In the novel, Steele explores themes of love, loyalty, resilience, and identity and has been praised for its “incisive” narrative, “gritty” prose, and “brilliantly drawn” characters.

James Steele’s next novel, Darkness at Dawn, is a suspenseful exploration of the complex inner turmoil of a former slave’s daughter in post-Civil War America. Steele’s evocative writing and fascinating characters brought the story to life as he tells of a young woman’s journey of self-discovery, coming to terms with the legacy of her heritage, and the legacy of all African Americans.

The saga of his character’s struggles continues in James Steele’s next two novels, Follow the Star and Like a River Flows. In Follow the Star, Steele tells the story of a freed slave’s son and his attempts at achieving financial success and stability. In Like a River Flows, Steele provides an intimate look at a family navigating a period of rapid change, adjusting to the circumstances brought on by the Emancipation Proclamation and the changing social milieu of the post-bellum South.

James Steele’s most recently published novel is Back to Life. In this novel, Steele moves away from the post-Civil War era and focuses on the inner lives of urban Blacks in the 1950s. Traversing the themes of identity, resilience and affordability, Steele tells the story of a large African American family living in the shadows of White privilege in the urbanized environment of a bustling city.

James Steele’s writing stands apart from many of his contemporaries due to his ability to portray diverse and complex characters who feel both familiar and distant, making his stories real and relatable to his readers. His novels take the reader through some of the most tumultuous periods in American history, weaving a narrative filled with love and resilience, offering authentic depictions of the African American experience, and teaching the reader about the importance of not only learning from the past, but living with and celebrating it. His novels are a sure guide for both the beginner and the experienced reader.