Valerie Mason-John

Valerie Mason-John (aka Queenie) is a contemporary Black British author, performer and conflict resolution trainer born in Cambridge, 1962.

Biography

Mason-John spent her childhood ‘in care,’ i.e. in foster homes and childcare facilities, including the Barnardo's Orphanages in Britain with the exception of a short time spent living with her mother in her early teens. She dropped out before receiving her undergraduate degree in the eighties, but has continued to pursue post-graduate education and training into the present. Since the early nineties, Queenie has worked as a writer, performing artist and lecturer. More recently, Mason-John received a teaching certificate, and currently conducts seminars in anger management and conflict resolution.

After eighteen months of study in philosophy and politics at Leeds University during the nineteen-eighties, Mason-John studied post graduate journalism, earned an MFA in creative writing and diploma in theatrical performance at institutions such as Sussex University and The Desmond Jones School. By 2003, her interest in counseling and her ordination into the Western Buddhist Order led her to, in addition to writing and performing, focus on training herself and others in anger management and conflict resolution. In December, 2007, Mason-John was named Honorary Doctor of Letters by The University of East London. Mason John continues to write, work as a self-awareness trainer; she performs and lectures internationally.

Published works

* 1999 collection of poems and plays entitled, "Brown Girl in the Ring" (Get A Grip)
*"The Banana Child", formerly, "Borrowed Body" (BAAF, 2007; Serpent’s Tail, 2005)
**Winner of the MIND Book of the Year Award (2006)
**Shortlisted for the Young Minds Book Award (2005)
* "Detox Your Heart"(Windhorse, 2006).
*Editor of "Talking Black: African and Asian Lesbians Speak Out" (Cassell 1994)
*Coauthor of "Lesbians Talk: Making Black Waves" with Ann Khambatta in 1993
*Author of, "Broken Voices – Ex Untouchable Women Speak Out" (2008).

Publication, Broadcasting, and Scholarly Work

Mason-John’s work has appeared in UK and international journalistic and scholarly publications such as, "The Guardian" "The Voice", "Curve Magazine", "Morning Star", "Pink Paper", "Girl Friend Magazine" and "Wasafiri". She has also contributed to: "Half the Earth: Women’s Experience of Travel Worldwide" (second edition, Pandora Rough Guide, 1990), "Frauen Zimmerim Haus Europa" (Papyrosa, 1991), "Assaults on Convention" (Cassell, 1995), "Words from Word Up Café" (Centerprise Publications, 1993), and "Tell Tales" (Tell Tales/Flipped Eye Publications, 2005). Mason-John edited was the editor of "Feminist Arts News" from 1992-1997. Additionally, she was the artistic director of the London Mardi Gras from 1997 to 2000, and spent four years as the director of the Pride Arts Festival. Her television credits include freelance work for BBC, Channel 4 and Vis International TV; she has also been featured on British radio broadcasts for the BBC World Service and the regional programs, "Mid Week", "Women’s Hour" and "The Libby Purvis Show."

External links

*http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth5688A7141b5e91959BLwX4224A05
*http://www.valeriemason-john.co.uk
*http://www.uel.ac.uk/news/latest_news/stories/graduation-ssmcs.htm
*http://crazybiswadip.blogspot.com/2008/02/hoping-with-compassion.html Interview by Biswadip Mitra
*http://www.rainbownetwork.com/UserPortal/Article/Detail.aspx?ID=16692&sid=59
*http://theswordreview.com/columns.php?sub_id=56
*http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/book-reviews/book-review-detox-your-heart-by-valerie-mason-john