April Ayers Lawson

April Ayers Lawson is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at Clemson University, affiliated with the College of Arts and Humanities. She holds an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University and MA/BA degrees from Winthrop and Harding Universities. Her work bridges creative writing and literary analysis, focusing on psychological fiction, autofiction, and contemporary literature. She has authored acclaimed works like Virgin And Other Stories, which received international acclaim and translations into multiple languages.

Her research explores themes of sexuality, trauma, and identity through innovative narrative techniques. Awards include The Plimpton Prize, Yaddo Residency, and UNC’s Kenan Fellowship. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in creative writing, screenwriting, and literary studies, while maintaining an active public profile through literary festivals and residencies.

• Education: MFA (Creative Writing, Pacific Lutheran), MA (English, Winthrop), BA (Art & English, Harding)
• Key Roles: MFA Faculty at Rainier Writing Workshop, Visiting Writer at UNC Chapel Hill and Emory University

Her writing appears in Paris Review, Granta, Die Welt, McSweeney’s Quarterly, and others. She has been translated into Spanish, German, Norwegian, and Turkish, with academic analyses featured in international journals. Current projects emphasize autofiction and interdisciplinary narrative forms.