From Mental Health To Sci-Fi, Here Are 6 Leading Ladies of Literature You Need To Know At SWF 2024
Book lovers, it’s time to get real excited. The Singapore Writers Festival, organised by Arts House Limited, will be back for its annual run from 8 to 17 November and this year’s lineup of guest writers is absolute fire!
Get ready for a fabulous mix of storytelling, science, and soul-searching with some of the most renowned women authors gracing the literary scene. Whether it's fiction, non-fiction, or essays that you love, here’s your chance to pick some of these amazing brains — and trust me, you’ll want to catch them before they jet off back to their corners of the world.
Here are 6 authors who’ll have you clinging to their every word (and maybe getting a little obsessed along the way).
1. Cat Bohannon (USA)
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First up, we have Cat Bohannon, who is not just an author but a researcher who redefines how we think about the female body. Her recent book, Eve: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years Of Human Evolution, is the perfect blend of science and storytelling, challenging what we know about humanity’s roots from a female perspective. Expect her session to be thought-provoking, scientifically grounded, and perhaps a little sassy (we’re manifesting that).
Plus, Bohannon’s essays aren’t just for the science geeks. They have appeared in everything from The Best American Nonrequired Reading to The Guardian and The Telegraph to Poets Against the War. Translation: she’s as cool as she is brainy. Find out more about her Festival Keynote Talk here.
2. Esi Edugyan (Canada)
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If you haven’t heard of Esi Edugyan, the author of Washington Black, where have you been? Her novel was a finalist for the Booker Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and won the Scotiabank Giller Prize. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, it was selected by both The New York Times and Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2018!
With Washington Black soon to be adapted into a TV series, this is one writer who knows how to weave a story with cultural, political, and emotional depth. Her other novels include Half-Blood Blues and The Second Life of Samuel Tyne. Find out more about her Meet the Author session here.
3. Baek Sehee (South Korea)
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If you've ever felt like you were barely treading water in the pool of life, then you need to meet Baek Sehee. This South Korean sensation shot to literary fame with her brutally honest book, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, chronicling her journey through dysthymia (persistent mild depression) and the delicate dance between self-care and soul-crushing reality.
Her work is more than just a book — it's a conversation. For anyone balancing career, emotions, and a love for spicy snacks, Baek’s session at the festival will feel like a heart-to-heart with an old friend. Catch her live for a candid discussion on mental wellness, creativity, and finding joy in life’s simplest pleasures, Find out more about her Meet the Author session here.
4. Krystal Sutherland (Australia-UK)
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For the young and the young-at-heart, Krystal Sutherland’s books are a must-read. The author of House of Hollow and Our Chemical Hearts (which became an Amazon film) has a serious flair for the fantastical and drawing out her readers’ emotions. Sutherland’s works are dark, twisted, totally unputdownable, and FYI: they’ve been published in over 20 countries!
If you’re into eerie plots and complex characters, gather up to hear how she builds these alternate worlds from the ground up. Find out more about her Meet the Author session here.
5. Hwang Bo-reum (South Korea)
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Hwang Bo-reum, the author of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, isn’t just here to promote her novels but to talk about something many of us can relate to: burnout. South Korea, like Singapore, faces high levels of overwork and stress, making her session on thriving versus surviving at work incredibly relevant.
With four books of essays and a novel under her belt, Hwang will speak at her panel discussion with the authority of someone who’s navigated the highs and lows of modern work culture and lived to tell the tale!
Those interested in the art of translation should also not miss the Crossing Tongues: The Art of Author-Translator Collaboration panel, where Hwang will highlight how language and culture intertwine in global literature.
6. Rin Chupeco (Philippines)
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If you love diving into worlds where magic, mystery, and the supernatural reign supreme, then Rin Chupeco’s work is made for you. This nonbinary Chinese-Filipino author has mastered the art of speculative fiction, blending richly imagined worlds with heart-pounding suspense. Best known for their The Bone Witch series, The Girl from the Well, and Wicked As You Wish, Chupeco weaves stories that are as chilling as they are beautiful.
Fans of YA fantasy and horror will likely enjoy Chupeco’s sessions as they explore the intricacies of Southeast Asian mythology, ghost stories, and everything that goes bump in the night.
Bonus: Sushma Soma (Singapore)
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We simply can’t resist highlighting Sushma Soma, an award-winning vocalist whose work is as captivating as it is impactful. While she isn’t an author, she is certainly a storyteller through and through. Recognised as one of Singapore's “10 women leaders in music”, Soma’s work is celebrated for “driving positive change through her actions”.
Her latest album HOME, created alongside Aditya Prakash, received rave reviews for its commentary on the environment and wildlife. Blending artistry with activism, Soma’s soulful performances harness the power of music to inspire great change.
The Singapore Writers Festival 2024: In Our Nature will include 200 programmes by more than 300 presenters, across two festival weekends! With a Festival Pass or SWF Youth Pass, you can access up to 150 vibrant and diverse programmes. Individually ticketed programmes are also available for selected programmes.
Find out more about the Singapore Writers Festival at www.singaporewritersfestival.com.
This post is brought to you by Arts House Limited.
