Lucinda Roy
Encyclopedia
Lucinda Roy is an American
-based British novelist, educator and poet.
She was born in Battersea
, South London
, England
, to Namba Roy, a Jamaica
n writer and artist, and Yvonne Roy, an English actor and teacher. She grew up in England and received her B.A.
in English from King's College London
before moving to the U.S., where she currently resides. She completed her M.F.A. in creative writing
at the University of Arkansas
.
In 1988, she published her first collection of poetry, Wailing the Dead to Sleep. Celebrated American poet Nikki Giovanni
wrote the introduction. In 1995, her second poetry collection, The Hummingbirds, was selected by poet Lucille Clifton
as the winner of the Eighth Mountain Poetry Prize. In her first novel, Lady Moses, the protagonist is a woman whose father is a West African writer and whose mother is an English actress. HarperCollins
published the book. Hotel Alleluia was her second novel, also published by HarperCollins.
Currently, she is the Director of Creative Writing at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia
, and was named Alumni Distinguished Professor of English. She is also the Vice President of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.
, it was revealed that two years earlier she recognized spree shooter Seung-Hui Cho
's behavior and writings. She warned campus authorities about him at that time, but as Cho had not made any specific threats, the authorities could not take any action or force Cho to get psychiatric help.
Roy was interviewed by Katie Couric
in an interview aired on April 12, 2009 for CBS News to mark the second anniversary of the massacre. Roy stated that Cho had sought attention from a specific mental health specialist on campus that she had recommended to him but that Cho received no assistance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based British novelist, educator and poet.
She was born in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to Namba Roy, a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n writer and artist, and Yvonne Roy, an English actor and teacher. She grew up in England and received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
before moving to the U.S., where she currently resides. She completed her M.F.A. in creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
.
In 1988, she published her first collection of poetry, Wailing the Dead to Sleep. Celebrated American poet Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni
Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Her primary focus is on the individual and the power one has to make a difference in oneself and in the lives of others. Giovanni’s poetry expresses strong racial pride, respect for family, and her...
wrote the introduction. In 1995, her second poetry collection, The Hummingbirds, was selected by poet Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton was an American writer and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979–1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland...
as the winner of the Eighth Mountain Poetry Prize. In her first novel, Lady Moses, the protagonist is a woman whose father is a West African writer and whose mother is an English actress. HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
published the book. Hotel Alleluia was her second novel, also published by HarperCollins.
Currently, she is the Director of Creative Writing at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
, and was named Alumni Distinguished Professor of English. She is also the Vice President of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.
Virginia Tech Massacre
Roy received some attention in April 2007 when, after the Virginia Tech massacreVirginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
, it was revealed that two years earlier she recognized spree shooter Seung-Hui Cho
Seung-Hui Cho
Seung-Hui Cho was a senior-level undergraduate student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University who killed 32 people and wounded 17 others on April 16, 2007, in the shooting rampage which came to be known as the "Virginia Tech massacre." Cho later committed suicide after law...
's behavior and writings. She warned campus authorities about him at that time, but as Cho had not made any specific threats, the authorities could not take any action or force Cho to get psychiatric help.
Roy was interviewed by Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
in an interview aired on April 12, 2009 for CBS News to mark the second anniversary of the massacre. Roy stated that Cho had sought attention from a specific mental health specialist on campus that she had recommended to him but that Cho received no assistance.
Works
- Wailing the Dead to Sleep (1988)
- The Hummingbirds (1995)
- Lady Moses (1998)
- The Hotel Alleluia (2000)
- "No Right to Remain Silent: The Tragedy at Virginia Tech" (2009)