Ayesha Harruna Attah

**Ayesha Harruna Attah** (dem born am December 1983) be Ghanaian-born fiction writer. She dey stay Senegal.

## Ein early years den education
Dem born Ayesha Harruna Attah for Accra, Ghana, insyd de 1980s, under military government, to mummie wey na be journalist den puppie wey na be graphic designer. Attah talk say: "My parents be my first major influences. Dem run literary magazine wey dem bell am *Imagine*, wey get stories about Accra; articles for art, science, film, books; cartoons—wey I love especially. Dem be (wey still be) my heroes. I discover Toni Morrison na wen I dey thirteen, wey I hook. I devour everytin she wrep. I dey kai say I read *Paradise*, wey ein meaning evade me then, e make me feel like na ebe de most amazing book dem wrep wey one day I want wrep world full of strong female characters, just lyk Ms. Morrison do."

After she grow insyd Accra, she move go Massachusetts wey she study biochemistry for Mount Holyoke College, den she get ein Masters degree insyd magazine journalism for de Columbia University, wey she receive MFA insyd creative writing for New York University.

## Ein writing
She publish five novels. She wrep ein debut book *Harmattan Rain* (2008) secof fellowship from Per Ankh Publishers — wey be under de mentorship of Ghanaian novelist Ayi Kwei Armah — den TrustAfrica, wey dem shortlist am for de 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa Region). Ein second novel *Saturday's Shadows*, World Editions publish am insyd 2015, dem nominate am for de *Kwani?* Manuscript Project, wey dem san publish am for Dutch (De Geus) insyd. Ein third novel be *The Hundred Wells of Salaga* (2019), wey dey deal plus "relationships, desires den struggles insyd women dema lives for Ghana inyd de late 19th century during de scramble give Africa". She wrep *The Deep Blue Between*, novel give young adults. Den ein fifth novel, dem go release *Zainab Takes New York* insyd April 2022*.*

As 2014 AIR Award laureate, na Attah be writer-in-residence for de Instituto Sacatar insyd Bahia, Brazil. She san so chop Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship insyd 2016 for proposed non-fiction book for de history of de kola nut.

### ''Harmattan Rain'' (2008)

### ''Saturday's Shadows'' (2015)

### ''The Hundred Wells of Salaga'' (2019)

### ''The Deep Blue Between'' (2020)

## Ein life matter
Ayesha be de daughter of Alhaji Abdul Rahman Harruna Attah den Nana Yaa Agyeman. She sanso get sisto dem dey bell Rahma.

## Work
**Novels**

* *Harmattan Rain*. Popenguine, Senegal, West Africa: Per Ankh, 2008. , OCLC 
* *Saturday's Shadows*. London: World Editions, 2015. , OCLC 
* *The Hundred Wells of Salaga*. New York: Other Press, 2019. , OCLC 
* *The Deep Blue Between*. London: Pushkin Press, 2020. 
**Essays**

* "Skinny Mini", *Ugly Duckling Diaries*, July 2015
* "The Intruder", *The New York Times Magazine*, September 2015
* "Cheikh Anta Diop – An Awakening", *Chimurenga*, 9 April 2018
* "Opinion: Slow-Cooking History", *The New York Times*, 10 November 2018
* "Inside Ghana: A Tale of Love, Loss and Slavery", *Newsweek*, 21 February 2019
**Oda writing**

* "Second Home, Plus Yacht", *Yachting Magazine*, October 2007
* "Incident on the way to the Bakoy Market", *Asymptote Magazine*, 2013
* "Unborn Children", in Margaret Busby, *New Daughters of Africa*, 2019.

## References


## External links
* Author's official website
* "Interview with Ghanaian Writer, Ayesha Harruna Attah", Geosi Reads, 11 March 2013.
* Ayesha Harruna Attah, "Skinny Mini" Archived 2020-02-11 *Ugly Duckling Diaries*, July 2015.
* "Meet the Author: Ayesha Harruna Attah", YouTube: The Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, 26 August 2021.
* "New Daughters of Africa Podcast - S01 E04 - Ayesha Harruna Attah". Panashe Chigumadzi in conversation with Ayesha Harruna Attah, 21 June 2022.