UAB English professor recognized for creative writing skills with prestigious publications

Kerry Madden - Lunsford, professor of creative writingHumor, heart and Shakespeare are the themes of Kerry Madden-Lunsford's new book that has been selected for the Junior Library Guild Selection. The book, titled "Werewolf Hamlet," explores the journey of a boy who loves Shakespeare and werewolves, navigating through complex family relationships; it is set to publish in February 2025 with Charlesbridge Moves.

In "Werewolf Hamlet," Madden-Lunsford, professor of creative writing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of English, handles the difficult subject of family dynamics in a sensitive way. The selection of her new book by the Junior Library Guild's editorial team speaks to Madden-Lunsford's storytelling skills as they review thousands of manuscripts each year to choose the most impactful ones on merit.

"I am grateful to the Junior Library Guild and honored to be included," Madden-Lunsford said.

"I have written several books for kids; but this is my first JLG selection, which was a complete surprise. I am thankful to my editor for submitting my title."

Madden-Lunsford wrote this book as a love letter to her three children and the city of Los Angeles, California, where the story is set. She desires that "kids enjoy the book and find some humor and hope in the story." A reading enthusiast since childhood, reading made her feel less alone, and she wants to reciprocate that feeling for the next generation through her writing.

Through this book, Madden-Lunsford takes a realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. She explores sensitive topics like addiction, mental illness and chaos by spinning the fear and grief into fiction.

"I love exploring family and the roles we play and attempt to escape," Madden-Lunsford said. "It is really the only kind of book I know how to write. I want readers to find humor, pathos and love through this fictional book."

Recently, Madden-Lunsford also published a short story in the New York Times under "Metropolitan Diary" about a free sandwich that she secured after answering the question "What was Meryl Streep's first movie?" The answer is "Julia."

"I am overjoyed to have my writing published in the New York Times," Madden-Lunsford said. "I didn't even know it was going to be published until my dear friend, who is a true New Yorker, texted to tell me it was in the newspaper, and she loved it. It was a happy surprise, and my first time in the New York Times."

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