Bestselling Teen YA Author Gabrielle S. Clarke Nominated for It's Lit! Literary Award

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Feb. 7, 2025 - PRLog -- Bestselling author and high school senior Gabrielle S. Clarke has been nominated for an It's Lit! Literary Award in the category of Best Black Young Adult Fiction Book for her debut YA thriller, Vanessa Is Not a Victim. The awards, now in their sixth year, are hosted by Black Girls Who Write (BGWW), an organization dedicated to uplifting and elevating Black women writers.

"I wanted to write a story that centered a character who looked like me and turn horror film tropes on their head. It's surreal to be nominated and to see my name alongside amazing adult authors like Jason Reynolds, LaDarrion Williams, Krystal Marquis, and Bethany Baptiste. I'm just a kid, I was on my way to theatre practice when my mom texted me," Clarke said with a laugh. "I had no idea what was going on and I don't think it's really hit me yet, but I'm grateful and proud."

Voting for the award continues through February 15, where the top five books in each category will advance to the next round. Readers can cast their vote for Clarke in the Best Black Young Adult Fiction Book category at BlackGirlsWhoWrite.com.

About Vanessa Is Not a Victim

Vanessa Is Not a Victim is a #1 Amazon New Release in several categories. Described as Daria meets Scream with the dark humor of Heathers, the novel takes readers on a wickedly fun ride through high school halls fraught with danger and dark comedy.

Seventeen-year-old Vanessa's life is as mundane as it gets in her sleepy, small town. The only thing that breaks up the monotony? Her obsession with corny horror movies. When a serial killer threatens the town, Vanessa doesn't blink.

Inspired by her favorite slasher films, Vanessa hatches an exciting plan: create the perfect death and become the killer's next victim.

However, no matter what she tries, the mysterious murderer won't take the bait!

With razor-sharp wit and a rebellious spirit, Vanessa is Not a Victim blurs the line between hunter and hunted, keeping readers laughing one moment and gripping their seats the next.

Gabrielle S. Clarke is a seventeen-year-old high school senior whose previous work has appeared in the Thurber House literary journal Flip the Page and the bestselling nonfiction anthology Black Girl, White School: Thriving, Surviving and No, You Can't Touch My Hair. Clarke is also heading to the state championship in the 2025 JustWrite competition.

Media Contact:

Sam Brent
sbrent@lifeslicemedia.com
GabrielleSClarke.com