The Melrose Library welcomed a special guest on Aug. 10 as award-winning novelist and poet Hannah Sawyerr visited the branch to share her inspirational life story. Once her slideshow presentation was over, Sawyerr signed copies of her work, took pictures, answered questions and enjoyed a meal with attendees, courtesy of the library.
For many who showed up, the experience felt like a sense of representation and a personal connection. “I remember reading her first novel years ago and instantly feeling as if the words were speaking to me directly,” Amari Smith said. “Meeting Hannah was awesome. She was so nice and attentive. I certainly plan on framing the picture that we took together.”
Sawyerr has always had a fascination with words. Growing up, some of her inspirations were Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. One of her favorite books of all time is “The Bluest Eye,” written by Morrison in 1970.
As a high school student, the Sierra Leonean American was a low academic achiever. As she explained, “Because I graduated with 1.9 grade point average, I was immediately placed on academic probation once I got to college.”
After graduating from Morgan State University (MSU) with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Sawyerr went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from The New School. Since then, she has taught English classes at Loyola Marymount University.
Today, the MSU alum has authored two successful books that garnered critical acclaim nationally: All the Fighting Parts (2023) and Truth Is (2025).
Among her other awards include being named a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist and a Young Adult Library Services Association recipient.
In addition to her successful novels, Sawyerr has also written for several other publications, such as Essence.
Throughout her conversation with the Roanoke audience, Sawyerr emphasized that the obstacles we face do not define us.
“I am proof that challenges and struggles do not define you. One’s determination and resilience does,” she said.
Reading an excerpt from “Truth Is,” Sawyerr said, “During practice, Coach K challenges us to memorize our piece from last practice. In slam, the quality of the writing and performance go hand and hand. On their own, they can make a piece good. But together, they can make a good piece great.”
She added, “Truth Is was honored by the National Book Foundation and the Los Angeles Times. Those nods gave the book a very heavy lift that was unimaginable to me.”
Before her time concluded, Sawyerr thanked all for giving her a space to express herself, “I’m so grateful for all of you. This has truly been an honor.”
“It was great to see the community come out and hear what Hannah had to say,” said Roanoke City Public Libraries Director Amber Lowery. “This program is very important because it allows an author to come to this community, talk about their process and inspire others.”
Additional information about Sawyerr can be found at her website, www.hannahsawyerr.com.
