American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 43 (2022) Winner
Myriam J. A. Chancy
ミリアム・ジェイ・エー・チャンシー
Myriam J. A. Chancy
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1970 （Port-au-Prince, Haiti）
- Nationality
- Haiti, Canada, United States
- Languages
- English, French
- Residence History
- Port-au-Prince, Haiti → Quebec City, Canada → Winnipeg, Canada → United States (various academic appointments)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Academic (English / Africana Studies)
- Active Years
- 1994-
- Affiliations
- Vanderbilt University, Arizona State University, Louisiana State University, Smith College (visiting), University of California, Santa Barbara (visiting), University of Cincinnati (English & Africana Studies), Scripps College (Hartley Burr Alexander Chair of Humanities)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Manitoba | — | English and Philosophy (Honours) | BA (Honours) | — | Canada |
| Dalhousie University | — | English Literature | Master's | — | Canada |
| University of Iowa | — | English | Ph.D. | — | United States |
University of Manitoba
English and Philosophy (Honours)
Degree:
BA (Honours)
Country:
Canada
Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy
Dalhousie University
English Literature
Degree:
Master's
Country:
Canada
Master's thesis on "James Baldwin and the Dissolution of the Color Line"
University of Iowa
English
Degree:
Ph.D.
Year of Graduation:
1994
Country:
United States
Ph.D. in English
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Outstanding Academic Book Award (Choice) | Searching for Safe Spaces: Afro-Caribbean Women Writers in Exile | — | Choice | 受賞 |
| 2004 | Phoenix Award for Editorial Achievement | Meridians (as Editor-in-Chief) | — | Council of Editors of Learned Journals | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Guyana Prize for Literature (Caribbean Award) | The Loneliness of Angels | Best Fiction | Guyana Prize | 受賞 |
| 2014 | John S. Guggenheim Fellowship | — | Literary Criticism Fellowship | John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2025 | OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (Fiction winner) | Village Weavers | Fiction | Bocas Lit Fest | 受賞 |
| 2025 | OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (Overall winner) | Village Weavers | Overall | Bocas Lit Fest | 受賞 |
Outstanding Academic Book Award (Choice)
1998
Work:
Searching for Safe Spaces: Afro-Caribbean Women Writers in Exile
Organization:
Choice
Result:
受賞
Phoenix Award for Editorial Achievement
2004
Work:
Meridians (as Editor-in-Chief)
Organization:
Council of Editors of Learned Journals
Result:
受賞
Guyana Prize for Literature (Caribbean Award)
2011
Work:
The Loneliness of Angels
Category:
Best Fiction
Organization:
Guyana Prize
Result:
受賞
John S. Guggenheim Fellowship
2014
Category:
Literary Criticism Fellowship
Organization:
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result:
受賞
OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (Fiction winner)
2025
Work:
Village Weavers
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
Bocas Lit Fest
Result:
受賞
OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (Overall winner)
2025
Work:
Village Weavers
Category:
Overall
Organization:
Bocas Lit Fest
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 15 (2025) Winner
Works
Major Works
Searching for Safe Spaces: Afro-Caribbean Women Writers in Exile
1997 Scholarly (literary criticism)A scholarly study analyzing exile as a defining aspect of Afro-Caribbean women writers and its impact on their work.
ExileGenderDiaspora
Framing Silence: Revolutionary Novels by Haitian Women
1997 Scholarly (literary criticism)The first full-length study devoted to Haitian women's literature, examining revolutionary novels and themes of silence and resistance.
Haitian literatureWomen's studiesPolitics and expression
Spirit of Haiti
2003 NovelA novel set against the background of Haiti, weaving culture and personal narrative.
CultureMemoryIdentity
The Scorpion's Claw
2005 NovelA multi-perspective novel that depicts tensions between individuals and society.
ConflictFamilyPolitics
The Loneliness of Angels
2010 NovelA novel exploring loneliness and redemption. Winner of the 2011 Guyana Prize (Caribbean Award) for Best Fiction.
LonelinessRedemptionCommunity
From Sugar to Revolution: Women's Visions of Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic
2012 Scholarly / EssaysA comparative examination of women's visions and histories in Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.
Women's historyRevolutionCaribbean studies
What Storm, What Thunder
2021 NovelA novel centered on the 2010 Haiti earthquake, portraying tragedy and community recovery.
DisasterRecoveryCommunity
Village Weavers
2024 NovelA story weaving together villagers' ties and histories. Published 2024; overall winner of the 2025 OCM Bocas Prize.
CommunityHistoryMemory
Bibliography
- Searching for Safe Spaces: Afro-Caribbean Women Writers in Exile (1997)
- Framing Silence: Revolutionary Novels by Haitian Women (1997)
- Spirit of Haiti (2003)
- The Scorpion's Claw (2005)
- The Loneliness of Angels (2010)
- From Sugar to Revolution: Women's Visions of Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic (2012)
- What Storm, What Thunder (2021)
- Village Weavers (2024)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Postcolonial critical perspectiveAnalytical style incorporating feminist theoryNarrative and ethically driven fiction
- Recurring Motifs
- Exile and diasporaWomen and gender perspectivesMemory and trauma
Legacy
As a Haitian-born scholar and novelist, she has made significant contributions to Caribbean literature and feminist studies. Recognized in both academic and fiction arenas, she has received multiple major literary awards.
Academic Societies
- Advisory involvement with the Modern Language Association (MLA)
Trivia
- Her two 1997 scholarly books helped secure early tenure.
- Won the 2011 Guyana Prize (Caribbean Award) for The Loneliness of Angels.
- Overall winner of the 2025 OCM Bocas Prize for Village Weavers.
- Official website: www.myriamjachancy.com