G. Willow Wilson is an American comic writer and essayist. She authored the acclaimed novel The Bird King (2019), co-creator of the Hugo and American Book Award-winning series MS Marvel (2013–2018), and has written for some of the world’s best-known superhero comic book series, including The X-Men, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
Wilson was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and grew up in Morganville. After high school, Wilson attended Boston University to pursue a degree in history.
G. Willow Wilson began her writing career by initially working as a freelance music critic for DigBoston. Later, she relocated to Cairo, where she contributed articles to esteemed publications such as the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, and the National Post. During her time in Egypt, she also regularly contributed to Cairo Magazine. Wilson was the first Western journalist to secure an exclusive interview with Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt.
In 2007, Wilson made her mark in the world of graphic novels with her debut work titled Cairo, illustrated by M.K. Perker and published by Vertigo. This captivating graphic novel earned accolades, including being recognized as one of the best graphic novels in 2007 by Publishers Weekly, The Edmonton Journal/CanWest News, and Comics Worth Reading.
Furthermore, she penned a memoir entitled The Butterfly Mosque, offering a unique perspective on life in Egypt during the Mubarak regime. The book was named a Seattle Times Best Book of 2010.
Her first novel, Alif The Unseen, won the 2013 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, was a finalist for the Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and was long-listed for the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
In 2015, she won the Graphic Literature Innovator Prize at the PEN America Literary Awards. Her work has been translated into over a dozen languages.
Her most recent work is The Bird King (2019), a fantasy novel set in 1491 and takes place in the Emirate of Granada during the territory's final days. The story concerns the flight of Fatima and Hassan, a concubine and mapmaker, respectively, from service to the Emirate's last sultan.
G. Willow Wilson lives in Seattle with her family.
Photo credit: www.gwillowwilson.com
