Her birth gave me the inspiration and dedication I needed to stay the course.' Flake wrote short stories for her daughter, and read them at her daughter's daycare. 'If she weren't born', Flake says, 'I'm not sure I ever would have become a consistent enough writer to make this journey. She often credits her daughter's birth with launching her fiction writing career. When her daughter Brittney was born, Flake's interest in writing grew stronger. Periodically, she also wrote pieces for Pitt's alumni publication. Katz Graduate School of Business.įlake continued to work at Pitt, while also writing nonfiction for local and national magazines. From 1987 until 2005, Flake returned to the University of Pittsburgh public relations department where she eventually became a supervisor, then went on to become Director of Public Relations at the University's Joseph M.

She later went on to work with young people in foster care. Immediately after graduating she took a job as a house parent in a Pittsburgh area youth shelter. During this time, she had an internship at the University's public relations office, and wrote for The Pitt News. As a teenager, she attended Simon Gratz High School, where she was a member of the tennis team and the honor society.įlake earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1978, majoring in English Writing and minoring in Political Science.

Through their guidance, Flake and her siblings were encouraged to be themselves, learning about culture through music, TV, politics, and books. Her father worked for Philadelphia Gas Co., while her mother did days work and raised her cream children. She is the second youngest child, with three brothers and two sisters, and grew up in an inner-city neighborhood. Biography įlake was born in Philadelphia. She has also won two Coretta Scott King Awards. Flake's work has won numerous awards, including the John Steptoe Award for New Talent in 1999 for new authors and has also garnered positive feedback from Booklist and School Library Journal. She learns that trying to fit in is not the best way to make people like you.

To end the bullying, Maleeka tries to befriend her tormentors. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English.įlake's debut novel The Skin I'm In which was published in 1998 follows thirteen-year-old Maleeka Madison who is teased about the color of her skin and her homemade dresses. She has lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her daughter for many years. Flake (born December 24, 1955) is an American writer of children and young adult literature.

The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake