Female authors play an important role in the
history of literature, exploring and advancing the realms
of fiction poetry, and beyond Today, this proud
tradition continues, with enlightening memoirs novels, and short
story collections regularly being published Here, in no
particular order, is a selection of women writers
crafting insightful works.
Coming in at # 1 is Juliette Kayyem.
A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law
School, Kayyem is a writer academic, and business
leader exploring the topic of American homeland security
efforts Previously, she held advisory roles to Massachusetts
Governor Deval Patrick and US Attorney General Janet
Reno, as well as a position in the
Department of Homeland Security during President Obama's administration.
As a writer, Kayyem penned Security Mom a
book that mixes memoir and advice gleaned from
her personal and professional experiences. She also has
served as an editor for two collections of
non-fiction essays Elsewhere, Kayyem has published shorter articles
in outlets such as The Atlantic and The
Boston Globe in 2013, she was a finalist
for the Pulitzer Prize in the commentary category.
In the # 2 spot is Shaun Hunter.
A writer and a historian, Hunter is the
author of Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers
which offers a literary exploration of Alberta's largest
city. In 2020, she served as Historian in
Residence at the Calgary Public Library.
Hunter's shorter work has appeared in numerous outlets
including The Globe and Mail and Geist, while
her essays have been published in collections such
as Embedded on the Home Front Furthermore, she
details the literary life of Calgary on her
blog, highlighting the intersection of writing history, and
local places of interest. She has also curated
an exhibit called Storied City, which was on
display at Lougheed House.
At # 3 is Maya Jewell Zeller. A
poet and teacher, she is the author of
the chapbook Yesterday the Bees the collection Rust
Fish and Alchemy for Cells & Other Beasts
a collaboration with the artist Carrie DeBacker. Her
work explores topics such as climate change, early
motherhood, and postpartum depression.
Zeller's poems have been published widely, in places
like Bellingham Review Rattle, and The Rumpus. In
addition to writing, she has taught in many
settings, serving as an assistant professor at Central
Washington University, as well as conducting workshops through
Li TFUSE Post Falls Library, and Spark Central.
Coming in at # 4 is Kelly McMasters.
A graduate of Vassar and Columbia, this former
bookshop owner specializes in nonfiction writing. In 2008,
her book Welcome to Shirley was published, a
blend of memoir and cultural history of her
Long Island hometown. It later inspired The Atomic
States of America a documentary film that premiered
at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
As an essayist, McMasters has written on topics
including beauty loneliness, and motherhood, with work appearing
in outlets such as The Paris Review and
The American Scholar. As an editor, she helped
compile the collection This Is the Place which
explores women's notions of home. In the past,
she has taught courses at NYU Hofstra, and
Franklin & Marshall.
Last but not least, at # 5 is
Amanda Curtin. At work across several genres, this
author, based near Perth, writes fiction and nonfiction,
edits books, and conducts workshops. Her novels include
Elemental a sweeping historical tale in which an
aging woman reflects on her life, and The
Sinkings which centers on a grieving mother.
Curtin has also penned a collection of short
stories entitled Inherited as well as Kathleen O'Connor
of Paris a book of narrative nonfiction. She
has been awarded the Western Australian Writer's Fellowship,
and she explores all facets of the writing
process on her blog looking up/looking down