After untold hours of reading through submissions and talking to amazing talent from across the world, we are excited to announce the six residents for the upcoming New Orleans Writers’ Residency. Congratulations to the selected applicants, as well as all those amazing writers who submitted an application. We couldn’t fit all our favorites in — hope to see you next time.
-Team NOWR
Lisa Roy
Lisa Roy is a German writer of short stories and texts on spirituality. She was born in Leipzig, Germany, in the year of Germany’s reunification in 1990. She grew up in the Ruhr Area where she studied Cultural and Literary Studies. Currently, she is working towards an MFA in literary writing from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM).Her short stories have appeared in German anthologies as well as literary magazines.In 2016, her first book – a creative nonfiction work – appeared at the publishing house edition chrismon. Lisa Roy’s work has been supported by the European Centre for Creative Economy (ecce) as well as through residences. Currently, she is working on her first novel. http://www.lisaroy.de
Anastacia-Renee
Anastacia-Renee is a queer writer, educator, TEDx Speaker and interdisciplinary artist. She is the 2020 Jack Straw Curator, recipient of the 2018 Artist Trust James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award for Washington artists (Literature), former Seattle Civic Poet (2017-2019), and Hugo House Poet-in-Residence (2015-2017). She is the author of: Forget It (Black Radish Books), (v.), (Black Ocean) 26, (Dancing Girl Press),and has received writing fellowships and residencies from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, VONA, Jack Straw, Ragdale, Mineral School and Hypatia in the Woods. Her cross-genre writing has appeared in the anthologies: Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism, Sinister Wisdom: Black Lesbians—We Are the Revolution, Revise the Psalm: Work Celebrating the Writing of Gwendolyn Brooks and: Ms. Magazine, Foglifter, Split this Rock, Painted Bride Quarterly, Crab Creek Review, Seattle Review, The Fight & the Fiddle, Duende,Torch, Poetry Northwest, Banqueted,Mom Egg Review, The Magazine of Glamorous Refusal, Pinwheel Journal, and many more. https://www.anastacia-renee.com/
Mark Daniel Taylor
Mark Daniel Taylor is a writer from Plymouth, England. He has a degree in Film and Literature from Warwick University and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Plymouth. After graduating, he moved to London and became a member of the Collier Street Fiction Group. He was a writer for Disclaimer Magazine where he both wrote and reviewed short stories. His novel, Helmouth, was a finalist for the 2019 Adventures in Fiction New Voices Competition.
Maria Alejandra Barrios
Maria Alejandra Barrios Vélez is a writer born in Barranquilla, Colombia. She has lived in Bogotá and Manchester where in 2016 she completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing from The University of Manchester. She was selected for the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Performing & Literary Arts for the city of New York in 2018. Her stories have been published in Hobart Pulp, Reservoir Journal, Bandit Fiction, Cosmonauts Avenue, Jellyfish Review, Lost Balloon and Shenandoah Literary. Her poetry has been published in The Acentos Review. Her work has been supported by organizations like Vermont Studio Center and Caldera Arts Center. En español el trabajo de María Alejandra ha sido publicado en Revista Corónica y El Malpensante. https://www.mariaalejandrabarrios.com/
Kimberly Bliss
Kimberly Bliss is a Philippine-born, Buffalo-bred, and Brooklyn-boroughed writer. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, and has had writing residencies at Hedgebrook and Denniston Hill. Her work has appeared in Dime Show review. Since 2016 she has been a writing workshop leader with New York Writers Coalition, leading workshops at The Ali Forney Center,
the largest US program and service provider for homeless LGBTQ youth, and Serendipity II, a residence for women living with addiction who are involved in the criminal justice system. She has called New York City home since 36 Chambers dropped. http://www.kimberlybliss.com
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is an artist and activist who was hailed in the New York Times as “one of the most talented directors in New York.” His play Little Rock was recently named a NY Times Critics’ Pick. He’s Third Vice President of the NAACP for Brooklyn and a member of the Actors Studio Directors/Playwrights Unit. He is the former Artistic Director of New Freedom Theatre and former Associate Artistic Director of Lark Play Development Center and Syracuse Stage. He is the recipient of the Woodie King Jr. Award, four AUDELCO Awards. Select Directing: The Public, Yale, Sheen Center, TheatreWorks, Signature, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare, Goodman, Portland Stage. www.RajendraMaharaj.com