Susan Muaddi Darraj is a Palestinian American writer renowned for her contribution to literature across various genres. Born in Philadelphia to Palestinian immigrant parents, Susan pursued her passion for literature at Rutgers University - Camden, NJ, earning a master's degree in English Literature.

Her literary accomplishments include several collections of fiction, young adult and children's books, academic essays, and articles. Among her celebrated works is the novel-in-stories A Curious Land: Stories from Home, which garnered the 2016 American Book Award. Susan's dedication to storytelling extends to her new novel, Behind You Is the Sea, which follows the lives within a Palestinian American immigrant community in Baltimore. This novel is set to be published by Harper Collins in 2024.

Susan's commitment to her craft is also evident in her role as a tenured professor of English Literature at Harford Community College and a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at The Johns Hopkins University. As a resident of Baltimore, MD, she continues to inspire and educate aspiring writers. Her work has not only earned her awards from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance but also the title of a 2016 USA Ford Fellow.

Pioneering in children's literature, Susan introduced the Farah Rocks series through Capstone Books, marking the first children's book series featuring an Arab American protagonist. Her engagement with cultural representation doesn't stop there; Susan also spearheaded the #TweetYourThobe social media campaign, promoting Palestinian culture.

As an editor at Barrelhouse Magazine and former editor-in-chief of The Baltimore Review, Susan's influence on the literary scene is profound. Her fiction and essays have graced the pages of numerous prestigious publications, demonstrating her versatility and depth as a writer.