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Sharon Millar

シャロン・ミラー

Sharon Millar

Profile

Gender
Female
Nationality
Trinidad and Tobago
Languages
English
Residence History
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Career

Occupations
Writer, Journalist, Lecturer
Active Years
1990-
Affiliations
University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (lecturer), Caribbean Beat (contributor)
Influenced By
Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, Doris Lessing, Nadine Gordimer, Bessie Head, Ben Okri, V. S. Naipaul, Earl Lovelace, C. L. R. James, Sam Selvon, Derek Walcott
Nominations
Hollick Arvon Caribbean Writer's Prize (nominated), AWP Intro-Journal Award (nominated)

Education

Lesley University
Graduate School (MFA) / Creative Writing
Degree: MFA
Country: United States
MFA in Creative Writing. Exact graduation year unknown.

Awards

Commonwealth Short Story Prize
2013
Work: The Whale House
Organization: The Commonwealth
Result: Winner
CTO Travel Media Award
2015
Work: Mermen Come Calling (article in The New York Times)
Organization: Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
Result: Winner
OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (longlist)
2016
Work: The Whale House and other stories
Category: Fiction
Organization: Bocas Lit Fest
Result: Longlisted
NGC Bocas Lit Fest New Talent Showcase
2012
Organization: NGC Bocas Lit Fest
Result: Selected
Commonwealth Short Story Prize (shortlist)
2012
Work: Friends
Organization: The Commonwealth
Result: Shortlisted

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Whale House and other stories

2015 Short story collection / Fiction 224 pages

A collection of short stories set in Trinidad and Tobago that explores social and racial tensions, historical wounds, folklore and the supernatural. Noted for its strong sense of place, explorations of identity and feminist sensibilities.

Race and identityFolklore and legendSense of place (placemaking)Women and feminist themes

The Whale House

2013 Short story

Published in Granta and winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize; the story weaves Caribbean sense of place, interpersonal relationships and elements of local lore.

Sense of placeLocal loreFamily and relationships

Ilyeana

2015 Short story

A short story published by Akashic Books exploring personal history and identity.

IdentityPersonal history

Bibliography

  • The Whale House and other stories (2015)
  • The Whale House (short story, Granta, 2013)
  • Friends (short story, Commonwealth shortlist, 2012)
  • Ilyeana (short story, Akashic Books, 2015)
  • Making Guava Jelly (The Manchester Review, 2014)
  • Other short stories ("Earl Grey", "The Dragonfly's Tale", "Peacock", etc.)
  • Journalism pieces (Caribbean Beat, The New York Times, etc.)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Sensuous, restrained proseStrong sense of place (placemaking)Narrative that intersects folklore and realism
Recurring Motifs
Sea and folkloreEthnic and historical woundsFamily relationshipsMigration and displacement

Legacy

Sharon Millar is internationally recognized as a contemporary short fiction writer from Trinidad and Tobago, known for stories addressing race, identity and folklore in the Caribbean. Her Commonwealth Short Story Prize and other recognitions have highlighted her role in demonstrating the region's literary diversity.

Quotes

  • “My biggest challenge is to write against all the stereotypes of the Caribbean. The rest of the world sees the Caribbean region as having one culture, one people, one collective history. I think it's up to the fiction writers to show the world that each island is different and that we are much more than the tropical stereotype.”
    Source: Interview with Global Voices (2013, Janine Mendes-Franco) (2013)

Trivia

  • Won the 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for "The Whale House."
  • Has written journalism for Caribbean Beat and The New York Times; won a CTO Travel Media Award in 2015.
  • Has described her ancestry as including English, Portuguese, French and Scottish roots.