Zakiya Dalila Harris
Zakiya Dalila Harris is an American author known for her bestselling debut novel "The Other Black Girl". Early life and education. Harris was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her MFA in nonfiction creative writing from The New School. Career. Harris spent nearly three years at Knopf/Doubleday, first as an editorial assistant then as assistant editor, before leaving to write her debut novel "The Other Black Girl". Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Guernica and The Rumpus. The "New  York Times" reported that Simon & Schuster's Atria imprint won the rights to the book in a nine-way auction for a six figure sum against fourteen publishers prior to its release. "The Other Black Girl" was released on June 1, 2021 and received positive critical reception from outlets such as the "Washington Post" and "Kirkus Reviews". "The Guardian" described it as "a glimpse into the publishing world and its original take on black professional women striving to hold on to their authentic selves and their stresses." She cites as key influences "Passing" by Nella Larsen, Octavia E. Butler’s  Kindred, Toni Morrison’s "Sula", "and Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Harris has also cited Jordan Peele's movie "Get Out" and Ira Levin's "The Stepford Wives" as inspiration for the novel, which contains elements of horror and satire. A TV adaptation of this book is currently in development with Tara Duncan, Temple Hill Entertainment, and Hulu. Harris is co-writing the pilot with Rashida Jones. Personal life. Harris resides in Brooklyn, New York.