Hillary Raphael (born April 12, 1976) is an American novelist, fashion and children's book writer. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Hunter College in New York City.
Hillary Raphael | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 12, 1976 |
| Pen name | Hillary Raphael, Shoshana Banana |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Hunter College (MFA) |
Works
At Hunter College Raphael won the MFA Thesis Prize for her novel, I Love Lord Buddha[1][2] published by now defunct Creation Books.[3] Raphael's books and mentorship inspired Nina-Marie Gardner[4] to write Sherry & Narcotics.[5] African Books Collective said “Her writing is akin to a poetic trance that manages to convey an unexpected and taunting fragile beauty.”[6]
Raphael is also known for a non-fiction book about the Japanese butoh dance movement, Outcast Samurai Dancer,[7] a collaboration with Japanese culture expert Donald Richie[8] and photographer Meital Hershkovitz. Her novel Backpacker: New York, Seoul, Phnom Penh, Sapporo, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Mexico City, Maputo, Tokyo mon amour was published in 2007.[9] Ximena followed in 2008[10] on her own Future Fiction London imprint.[11]
Raphael wrote a photography essay in Torbjorn Rodland's White Planet, Black Heart.[12] She also appears, without identification, as a model in the same book. Although Raphael wrote cult[13] transgressive fiction[14] under her own name, she expanded with a pseudonym.
Since 2014 Raphael writes and illustrates children's books under the name Shoshana Banana. Her debut title Family Ties[15] was named one of the Best Jewish Children's Books of 2015 by Tablet Magazine.[16] Her second children's book, Picture a Chinchilla,[17] incorporates vintage textiles. Levi & Aya,[18] published in 2016 debuted at #1 in its category on Amazon UK. Get Ready For My Mani-Pedi! followed in 2017.[19]
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, her pandemic fashion thriller PARIS LOVE SUICIDE was released.[20]A vintage fashion collector and dealer, Raphael writes copy for numerous fashion companies in New York and Japan.
Interviews
Interviews with Raphael feature in 3:AM Magazine,[21] SuicideGirls,[22] TORO MAGAZINE.[11] and OVGuide.[9]