Yrsa Daley-Ward is a writer, poet and actress of mixed Jamaican and Nigerian heritage. Since publishing her first poetry collection, the widely beloved bone, Yrsa has been in a constant state of exciting creative output, which earns her continued critical acclaim. Her follow-up book, the lyrical memoir The Terrible, garnered glowing praise and won her the prestigious PEN Ackerley Prize in 2019. Following that, she published The How, which NPR called ""a hopeful work of meditation and healing"" and has been taught in women's prisons around the world. Amidst all this, Yrsa continues to work and write in other areas of entertainment. In 2019, she worked closely with Beyonce to co-write Black Is King, ""a grand statement of African-diaspora pride and creative power"" (NYT) and has been adapting The Terrible for screen. As an actress, she played Grace Jones in Kwei-Armah's latest feature film. She splits her time between Brooklyn, New York and London.
Praise for The Terrible -- 2018 A rare combination of literary brilliance, originality of voice and a narrative that commands you to keep going until you've reached the last page . . . her prose is invigorating, razor-sharp and moves at the speed of light . . . Yrsa Daley-Ward is an explosive new talent and this book should not be missed -- Anna van Praagh * Evening Standard * Daley-Ward is a stylish writer, as well as an unusual voice . . . she has a knack for distilling wild emotions into precise imagery, for selecting insightful impressions -- Francesca Angelini * Sunday Times * A major literary talent . . . speaks about the power and powerlessness that young women are subject to in a wholly fresh, clear-eyed way . . . you'll find it hard to come away from The Terrible without a stab of recognition in your chest * Stylist *