Susan Rice

Susan Rice is a Pulitzer-winning author whose novels rack up top honors in literary awards circles. She was born in Louisiana and raised in Kentucky, where her love of literature flourished. Rice’s novels span multiple genres, from period pieces to contemporary fiction, human drama to satire, and even the supernatural. Rice’s works have been praised for their lyrical prose, complex characters and themes, and exploration of larger issues in the American experience.

Rice’s debut novel, The Accidental Slaveowner, was published in 1994 and immediately received critical acclaim. This tale of a former slaveowner and his descendants in the American South intertwines stories about the past and present, exploring the aftermath of the Civil War and the subtlety of racism even in a supposedly-post racial society. Several of Rice’s subsequent works also take the American South as their setting, such as her award-winning book, Bottle Tree. This is a coming-of-age story of two teenage girls in a rural southern town who become friends and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Much of Rice’s writing is based on her own life experiences. Her first novel, The Accidental Slaveowner, grew out of her visits to her grandparents’ plantation. Other works draw on her family members’ Civil War stories and her own recollections of small-town life in Kentucky. Her most recent novel, Wishy Spots, is a semi-autobiographical story about a boy growing up in 1950s era Louisville, Kentucky.

Rice has also written about speculative fiction, often taking on the supernatural in her stories. In the Belizer’s Blessing series, she tells the stories of the mysterious Belizer family and their magical powers. In Colossus, Rice crafts a post-apocalyptic tale of giant robots and humans trying to survive in a world of limited resources.

In addition to her fiction works, Rice has also written a memoir, The Last Promise: My American Story. This book weaves together childhood memories, family and faith traditions, and her observations as an adult into an engaging narrative.

In addition to her writing career, Rice has always been passionate about social justice and community engagement. She has organized events and spoken out on behalf of those affected by poverty, racism, and other social issues, often volunteering her own time to such causes. These commitments to social justice and civil rights issues shape much of her writing, exploring themes of race, gender, class, and power in her work. These are themes she also explores in her work as a public speaker, utilizing history, literature, and discussion to educate, inspire, and foster understanding.

In addition to her novels and other writing projects, Rice is an adjunct professor of creative writing at a community college in her hometown. Her range of talents and interests have earned her a number of awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, an NAACP Image award, and a nomination for the National Book Award.

Susan Rice is a talented and multifaceted writer whose works explore the complexities of the American experience and the power of language. By bringing her insights to life through lush prose and complex characters, Rice creates stories of hope, and connection. A deep understanding of history, a commitment to social justice, and a boundless imagination make her work some of the most engaging and thought-provoking in contemporary literature.