Erica Simone Turnipseed is a multifaceted author who writes in several genres for both children and adults. She has published two adult novels, A Love Noire and Hunger (Amistad/HarperCollins), and a children’s picture book, Bigger Than Me (Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, Atheneum). Erica was also a collaborator on the memoir Who’s Watching Shorty? Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse by Reshona Landfair (Legacy Lit/Hachette).

Among her writing accolades, Erica won the Atlanta Choice Author of the Year Award from the Atlanta Daily World for A Love Noire, and Hunger was selected as an Essence Book Club Recommended Read. Her short story “The Nine” won first prize from The Vincent Brothers Review for the publication’s short story contest with the theme “Portals.” Erica is also published in the anthology America’s Future (Washington Writers’ Publishing House) for her short story “Your Name,” in Children of the Dream for her story “Hand Games,” and in Killens Review of Arts & Letters for her poem “A Slice of Free.”

Erica’s professional experiences in education highlight her love of teaching and learning as well as her commitment to access and equity. Notably, she taught academically and culturally diverse students on the high school and college levels in New York City and Washington, DC, served as a college coach, and worked as a nonprofit professional at several universities and educational nonprofits. In those capacities, Erica proved to be adept at fielding stakeholders’ concerns and serving as a liaison between varied constituencies. She has also been an engaging panelist and guest speaker at myriad academic and literary events.

With Proverbs 3:5 and her angel daughter’s footprint tattooed on either forearm, Erica is guided by Toni Morrison’s words: “If you are free, you need to free somebody else.” She seeks to liberate the untold stories of those who have been forgotten or overlooked and offers the world a more fully realized picture of humanity. A genealogy enthusiast, social justice champion, and native of Brooklyn, New York, Erica holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology from Yale and Columbia universities, respectively. She lives in Washington, DC with her family.