American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 44 (2023) Winner
Leila Mottley
レイラ・モットリー
Leila Mottley
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 2002 （Oakland, California, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Oakland, California (born and resides)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet
- Active Years
- 2018-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith College | — | — | — | 2019 - 在学中（執筆活動のため休学） | United States |
Smith College
Period:
2019 - 在学中（執筆活動のため休学）
Country:
United States
On indefinite leave to pursue writing
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Oakland Youth Poet Laureate | — | — | City of Oakland | Winner |
| 2022 | Booker Prize (Longlist) | Nightcrawling | — | The Booker Prizes | Longlist |
| 2022 | The New York Times Best Seller | Nightcrawling | — | The New York Times | Best Seller |
| 2022 | Oprah's Book Club pick | Nightcrawling | — | Oprah's Book Club | Selection |
| 2022 | Booklist Editors' Choice | Nightcrawling | Adult Books for Young Adults | Booklist | Selection |
| 2023 | Audie Award for Best Female Narrator | Nightcrawling (audio) | Female Narrator | Audio Publishers Association | Finalist |
| 2023 | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Debut Fiction) | Nightcrawling | Debut Fiction | Hurston/Wright Foundation | Nominee |
| 2023 | Lambda Literary Award (Lesbian Fiction) | Nightcrawling | Lesbian Fiction | Lambda Literary | Finalist |
| 2022 | PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award | Nightcrawling | — | PEN Oakland | Winner |
Oakland Youth Poet Laureate
2018
Organization:
City of Oakland
Result:
Winner
Booker Prize (Longlist)
2022
Work:
Nightcrawling
Organization:
The Booker Prizes
Result:
Longlist
The New York Times Best Seller
2022
Work:
Nightcrawling
Organization:
The New York Times
Result:
Best Seller
Oprah's Book Club pick
2022
Work:
Nightcrawling
Organization:
Oprah's Book Club
Result:
Selection
Booklist Editors' Choice
2022
Work:
Nightcrawling
Category:
Adult Books for Young Adults
Organization:
Booklist
Result:
Selection
Audie Award for Best Female Narrator
2023
Work:
Nightcrawling (audio)
Category:
Female Narrator
Organization:
Audio Publishers Association
Result:
Finalist
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Debut Fiction)
2023
Work:
Nightcrawling
Category:
Debut Fiction
Organization:
Hurston/Wright Foundation
Result:
Nominee
Lambda Literary Award (Lesbian Fiction)
2023
Work:
Nightcrawling
Category:
Lesbian Fiction
Organization:
Lambda Literary
Result:
Finalist
PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
2022
Work:
Nightcrawling
Organization:
PEN Oakland
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 33 (2023) Winner
Works
Major Works
Nightcrawling
2022 Novel / Fiction 320 pagesSet in Oakland, the novel follows a young Black woman confronting violence, justice, and coming-of-age struggles. Through encounters with police misconduct and community ties, it examines the protagonist's interior life and the realities of contemporary urban existence.
racejusticecoming-of-ageurban lifetrauma
woke up no light
2024 Poetry collectionA 2024 poetry collection containing lyrical poems about personal experience, urban life, and youth perspectives.
selfcityvoicememory
Bibliography
- Nightcrawling (2022)
- woke up no light (2024)
Adaptations
- When I Write It (short documentary; co-writer and star)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- poetic and rhythmic prosemonologue-like interior voicesvivid, concrete imagery
- Recurring Motifs
- voice and silenceyouth and responsibilityurban shadows and light
Legacy
Recognized as a distinct new voice in contemporary American literature following a high-profile debut. Her incisive perspective on race, justice, and urban life has attracted critical attention and positioned her among notable young writers.
Quotes
-
There's never a wrong age to tell the story that is aching inside of you.
Source: The Booker Prizes interview (2022)
Trivia
- Named Oakland Youth Poet Laureate at age 16.
- Started writing debut novel Nightcrawling in summer 2019; published in 2022.
- Longlisted for the Booker Prize for Nightcrawling, making her among the youngest authors to be nominated for the prize (longlist).
- Co-wrote and starred in the short documentary When I Write It.