Ruel Johnson Explained

Ruel Johnson is a Guyanese author.

Johnson won the 2002 Guyana Prize for Literature for best first fiction manuscript for a collection of short stories entitled Ariadne and Other Stories,^{[1] [2]} which he self-published the following year with assistance from COURTS and GuyEnterprise. Johnson, then 22, was the youngest person ever to win the prize.^[3]

He also won the 2012 Guyana Prize for Literature for submitting the best book of fiction.^{[4] [5]}

In 2016 he participated in the International Writing Program's Fall Residency at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City, IA, and was the first Guyanese to participate in the programme.^{[6] [7]} He is the Cultural Policy Advisor through the Ministry of Education,^[8] and since 2014 has been working to establish a national cultural policy.^[9]

A former President's College (Golden Grove, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana, South America) student who hails from Tucville Terrace, Greater Georgetown, Johnson is the eldest of five and has one child.

Ruel Johnson was recently accused of physical abuse by an ex-girlfriend by the name of Akola Thompson. She alleged that he manipulated her and took advantage of her during times of vulnerability by being physical, emotionally and sexually abusive to her.^{[10] [11]}

External links

• Nicholas Laughlin, "Talking to Ruel Johnson", MEP Publishers, 14 November 2008.
• "The Writer's Tale with Ruel Johnson", Christopher Ram interview on Plain Talk. YouTube.

Notes and References

1. Mark McGowan, "Ruel Johnson launching Fictions at Carifesta", Stabroek News, 14 August 2008.
2. http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/01/28/guyana-prize-committee-hosts-workshops-for-writers/ "Guyana Prize Committee hosts workshops for writers"
3. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/projects/uwicaricomproject/caribbean_diaspora.jsp "The Caribbean Diaspora," CARICOM Secretariat.
4. http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/09/16/ruel-johnson-cops-guyana-prize-for-best-fiction/ "Ruel Johnson cops Guyana Prize for Best Fiction"
5. Kiana Wilburg, "The creative mind of Ruel Johnson", Kaieteur News, 23 September 2013.
6. https://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/news/stories/08/29/ruel-johnson-us-writing-programme/ "Ruel Johnson for US writing programme"
7. Web site: 2016 Residency The International Writing Program. iwp.uiowa.edu. en. 3 April 2017.
8. Web site: 2015-11-23. Govt. launches consultation on cultural policy development. 2020-12-16. Kaieteur News. en-US.
9. Web site: 2016-06-08. Fruitful Consultations on National cultural policy- Advisor on Cultural Policy. 2020-12-16. Department of Public Information. en-GB.
10. Web site: 2020-07-08. Another ex-partner accuses Ruel Johnson of abuse. 2020-12-16. Stabroek News. en-US.
11. Web site: 2020-07-22. Ruel Johnson arrested, released on station bail. 2020-12-16. Guyana Chronicle. en-US.