Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a bestselling author who has made a significant impact in the literary world. She made her debut in 2010 with the release of "Wench: A Novel" and has since established herself as a pre-eminent chronicler of American historical life. Perkins-Valdez has been recognized for her work with several accolades, including being a finalist for two NAACP Image Awards and the Hurston-Wright Legacy Award for fiction.
Perkins-Valdez has written several critically acclaimed novels, including "Wench," "Balm," and "Take My Hand." Her work has been praised for its beauty and emotional depth. "Take My Hand" was awarded the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Literary Work-Fiction and the BCALA Fiction Award. It was named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 in several publications and received glowing reviews from critics. The Washington Post called it "a jewel of a book."
In addition to her work as a novelist, Perkins-Valdez has also contributed to several special edition publications. She wrote the introduction to a special edition of Solomon Northup's "Twelve Years a Slave," published by Simon & Schuster, which became a New York Times bestseller. She has also written the Introduction for a 75th anniversary edition of George Orwell's "1984."
Perkins-Valdez is the current Chair of the Board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. She received a DC Commission on the Arts Grant for her second novel "Balm." Perkins-Valdez is an Associate Professor of Literature at American University. She is a graduate of Harvard and a former University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA. Perkins-Valdez lives in Washington, DC with her family.