Diane McKinney-Whetstone

Diane McKinney-Whetstone (born August 14, 1953) is an American author and is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Creative Writing program faculty.[1] Her works of fiction have won numerous awards, including the BCALA Literary Award for Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. in 2005[2] and 2009.[3]

Diane McKinney-Whetstone
Born (1953-08-14) August 14, 1953 (age 71)
OccupationAuthor
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania (BA)
SpouseGreg Whetstone
Children2
ParentsPaul McKinney
Bessie Grayson

Biography

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McKinney-Whetstone is African American. She is the second of five daughters born to Pennsylvania State Senator Paul McKinney and his wife Bessie, with an older sister from her father's previous relationship, and also an older brother and sister from her mother’s first marriage. Diane received a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975. She is married to Greg Whetstone and they have twins, Taiwo, a daughter and Kehinde, a son.

McKinney-Whetstone began writing when she was 39, joining the Rittenhouse Writer's Group, founded by University of Pennsylvania instructor James Rahn. She won a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant for a 500-page first draft. Her first novel, Tumbling, was published in 1996 by William Morrow and Company.

She is mentioned in:

Selected works

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  • Tumbling, 1996
  • Tempest Rising, 1998
  • Blues Dancing, 1999
  • Leaving Cecil Street, 2004
  • Trading Dreams at Midnight, 2008
  • 'Philadelphia Blues'
  • Lazaretto, 2016

Awards and recognition

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References

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  1. ^ University of Pennsylvania [1], accessed January 31, 2011.
  2. ^ American Library Association [2], accessed January 31, 2011
  3. ^ American Library Association [3], accessed January 31, 2011.
  4. ^ Anthenaeum of Philadelphia [4], accessed January 31, 2011.
  5. ^ Go On Girl Book Club [5], accessed January 31, 2011.
  6. ^ American Library Association [6], accessed January 31, 2011
  7. ^ American Library Association [7], accessed January 31, 2011.
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