HCU alumna releases prize-winning novel.
With a gift for writing stories and poetry set to the backdrop of historical events, Kionna Walker LeMalle celebrates the spring release of her debut novel, 鈥淏ehind the Waterline,鈥� winner of the Lee Smith Novel Prize. The award recognizes and publishes literary novels by authors from the southern United States.
A graduate of HCU鈥檚 Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program, LeMalle’s novel is a unique blend of historical fiction and magical realism as she raises the curtain on the lives of a teenager and his eccentric grandmother who, on the eve of Hurricane Katrina, decide to ride out the approaching storm in his second-floor bedroom. In a dream, a hallucination or something else, Eric discovers a room beyond his closet wall, a place he has never seen. What he finds inside will send him on a path to discover secrets to survival, bitter progress, and, ultimately, the history of his own people – those he sorely misses and those he never knew.
Deesha Philyaw, a judge for the Lee Smith Novel Prize contest, calls LeMalle鈥檚 book a 鈥渄eeply moving, inventive and surprising page-turner鈥� where natural, political and familial catastrophes collide.
HCU Associate Director of Cinematic Arts Bearden Coleman was not surprised at the novel鈥檚 selection. He described LeMalle as the 鈥渕ost gifted writer鈥� he has had the pleasure of teaching.
鈥淚 knew while reading early drafts of the book that she had something special.聽Her feel for language, place and drama combined with the discipline she devotes to her craft make her truly unique. She is only going to get better. I cannot wait to see where she goes creatively,鈥� said Coleman.
In contrast to Professor Coleman鈥檚 response, LeMalle was in 鈥渁bsolute shock鈥� when she learned of her novel鈥檚 selection. 鈥淚 remember [the editor] repeating 鈥渉ello鈥� a few times, then, she laughed a little as I sat in silence for much longer than the comfortable wait time. The first word out of my mouth was a stammering 鈥榃ow,鈥欌�� said LeMalle of the call announcing her win.
Inspired by Bret Lott鈥檚 feedback during LeMalle鈥檚 first residency in HCU鈥檚 Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, the novel began as a series of flash fiction stories about a grandmother鈥檚 secrets and transformed into a novel of family intrigue set to the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina and told through the eyes of her teenage grandson.
LeMalle is excited about the release of her debut novel. The HCU alumna currently serves as the Director of Executive Communications at the UH-Downtown and is an adjunct professor in HCU鈥檚 Department of Narrative Arts. She also runs聽 WriterTeacherFriend.com, a virtual writing group that supports writers of all ages.
To purchase “Behind the Waterline” or learn how LeMalle supports writers of all ages, visit her site, .