HCU Alumna Pens Award-Winning Debut Novel

HCU Alumna Kionna Walker LeMalle met with unexpected opposition when she entered a writing contest in middle school and found herself embroiled in controversy when judges questioned the authenticity of her submission. Kionna defended her work, with the support of her teacher and mother, and was cleared of the allegations and went on to win first place in the contest. The experience, however, left her feeling wounded by the adults who initially dismissed her talent.

Years later, her early writings, including her childhood contest submission, were lost in Hurricane Katrina. Disappointed, but undaunted, LeMalle continued to nurture her gift and, in 2023, submitted her debut novel, "Behind the Waterline," in the Lee Smith Novel Prize contest and was selected the winning author. Launched in honor of award-winning author, Lee Smith, described as a driving force in the literary industry, the contest publishes the winning novel and awards a cash prize to the selected author.

"Behind the Waterline" tells the story of a teenager, Eric, and his eccentric grandmother, who decide to ride out Hurricane Katrina together in his second-floor bedroom. In a dream, a hallucination or something else, Eric discovers a room beyond his closet wall, a place he has never seen, where, ultimately, he discovers the history of his people-those he sorely missed and those he never knew.

Bearden Coleman, HCU Associate Director of Cinematic Arts, was not surprised at the novel's selection. He described LeMalle as the "most gifted writer" he has had the pleasure of teaching.

"I knew while reading early drafts of the book that she had something special. Her feel for language, place, and drama combined with the discipline she devotes to her craft make her truly unique. She is only going to get better. I cannot wait to see where she goes creatively," said Coleman.

LeMalle, in contrast, was in "absolute shock" when she learned of her novel's selection.

"I remember [the editor] repeating "hello" a few times. Then, she laughed a little as I sat in silence for much longer than the comfortable wait time. The first word out of my mouth was a stammering "Wow," LeMalle said of the call announcing her win.

The novel, inspired by a guest author who spoke during LeMalle's residency in HCU's Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting program, began as a series of flash fiction stories about a grandmother's secrets and transformed into a novel of family intrigue set to the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina told from the eyes of her grandson.

A graduate of HCU's inaugural Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting degree program, LeMalle is currently the Assistant Director of Executive Communications at the University of Houston-Downtown and an adjunct professor in HCU's Department of Narrative Arts. She also champions and nurtures the talents of young writers as a faculty member of Houston's Writers in the Schools and runs Writer.Teacher.Friend, a virtual writing group that supports writers of all ages.

"Behind the Waterline," will be published by Blair Publisher in March 2025 and can be pre-ordered now on Amazon and Blairpub.com.