Leila Mottley

Leila Mottley (born 2002) is an American novelist and poet.[1] She is The New York Times bestselling author of Nightcrawling, an Oprah's Book Club pick.

Early life

Mottley was born and raised in Oakland, California, where she continues to reside.[2] She dropped out of Smith College.

Career

Mottley was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland, California in 2018 at age 16, having served the prior year as Vice Youth Poet Laureate.[3] Her poetry has appeared in The New York Times.[4]

Mottley co-wrote and starred in a documentary short, When I Write It, an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020.[5]

In June 2022, Mottley published her first novel, Nightcrawling. [6] Nightcrawling was longlisted for the Booker Prize on July 26, 2022. Mottley wrote the original version of "Nightcrawling" during the summer of 2019, shortly after completing her high school education. At the time, she was employed as a substitute preschool teacher.[7]

References
  1. Pineda, Dorany (7 June 2022). "'I have a lot of time': Oakland poet-novelist phenom Leila Mottley, 19, has just begun". LA Times. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  2. "Five Things to Know About Leila Mottley". Oprah Daily. Oprah Daily. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  3. "Leila Mottley '23: Finding Her Voice Through Poetry". Post News Group. Oakland Post. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. "Young Black Poets". New York Times. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  5. "2020 Official Selection: Shorts". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  6. "Oprah's latest book club pick: 'Nightcrawling,' by Leila Mottley". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  7. Egan, Elisabeth (30 June 2022). "Leila Mottley Graduated From High School and Wrote a Novel". The New York Times.
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