Hanna Alkaf is a critically acclaimed novelist who writes authentically Malaysian stories that have garnered international literary awards. Her debut young adult (YA) novel The Weight of Our Sky picked up the Freeman Award for Young Adult/High School Literature, while her debut middle grade (MG) novel The Girl & The Ghost was a finalist for the American Kirkus Prize.

A journalism graduate from Northwestern University, USA, Hanna worked as a professional writer before becoming a full-time novelist. She consciously chose to write Malaysian stories, having lived almost entirely in Malaysia; she read books with unusual characters, to fully represent her country’s people, mannerisms, culture and even folklore. Both her novels delve into stories that are often hidden away, like the May 13 Kuala Lumpur riots of 1969, mental health and local supernatural beliefs.

Hanna’s upcoming books include the murder-mystery Queen of the Tiles, the anthology The Grimoire of Grave Fates and a fantasy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, set in the jungles of Langkawi.

Besides being a novelist, mother and wife, she is also behind the #KitaJagaKita Covid-19 initiative. In 2020, after Malaysia went into lockdown, she posted a list of organisations that required urgent aid with the hashtag #KitaJagaKita on Twitter. It grew into a directory, managed by volunteers, that verifies and lists civil-society movements and mutual-aid funds to facilitate the giving and receiving of help during the pandemic.