Vanessa Hua is a bestselling and award-winning literary fiction author, well-known for her unique storytelling and powerful writing. She has written several highly acclaimed pieces, including her debut novel, "A River of Stars," which was met with critical acclaim from publications such as O, The Oprah Magazine and The Economist. The novel also made the NPR and Washington Post Best Book lists of 2018.
Before her successful foray into literary fiction, Hua had already made a name for herself as a journalist and columnist. She started her journalism career with the Los Angeles Times and later moved to the Hartford Courant. Over the years, she has written about various topics, focusing on Asia and the diaspora. Her work has been featured in numerous leading publications, including Newsweek, the New York Times, The Atlantic, San Francisco Magazine, and the Washington Post.
Hua's success as a literary fiction author is evident in her accolades and awards. She has received several prestigious awards, including the Asian/Pacific American Award in Literature, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing. Additionally, she has been named a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow. Hua is also an accomplished columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, where she has won several awards for her writing.
Hua's writing is not limited to any particular region, and she has filed stories from various parts of the world, including China, South Korea, Panama, Burma, and Ecuador. She is a Bay Area native and teaches at the Writers’ Grotto, Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, and other institutions. In addition to her writing and teaching, Hua is also a wife and mother of twins. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.