Joe Okonkwo

About Joe Okonkwo

Jazz Moon was still winning awards when Joe Okonkwo's name became known beyond American literary circles.

Joe Okonkwo is an American writer born in Syracuse, New York. His debut novel, Jazz Moon, arrived in 2017 and immediately made an impact. The book won the Edmund White Award and earned a shortlist spot for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction.

Before Jazz Moon, Okonkwo had been publishing short stories steadily. His work appeared in The Piltdown Review, The New Engagement, Storychord, Penumbra, Promethean, and Shotgun Honey. One of his stories, "Cleo," was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His writing had already been anthologized in Love Stories from Africa, Best Gay Love Stories 2009, Best Gay Stories 2015 and Strength.

Okonkwo studied theater at the University of Houston for his undergraduate degree. He later pursued an MFA in creative writing from the City College of New York. This formal training shaped his distinctive voice.

Since moving to New York City in 2000, Okonkwo has become deeply rooted in the city's literary community. He served as Prose Editor for Newtown Literary, a Queens-based journal dedicated to publishing emerging writers. He edited Best Gay Stories 2017 and led creative writing classes at Gotham Writers' Workshop, Newtown Literary/Queens Library, and the Bronx Arts Council. He also served on the planning committee for the Provincetown Book Festival.

His second collection, Kiss the Scars on the Back of my Neck, was published by Amble Press in October 2021. The book further solidified his reputation as a vital voice in contemporary American literature.

Okonkwo's writing explores complex characters navigating the intersection of Black and gay identities. His stories vividly portray the challenges these characters face and the sacrifices they make in pursuit of authenticity and self-expression. This thematic focus has made his work resonate deeply with readers across the United States and beyond.