Valentine Goby
Winner of the 2002 Writer Grant Special Award
AWARD-WINNING PROJECT: Mater Amabilis, a second novel set "behind closed doors" that raises the question of the relationship between brothers and sisters in the absence of any reference to the fundamental link that binds them: the mother.
Valentine Goby lives her life at top speed. She has studied at Sciences-Po, the school of political sciences in Paris, spent six months in the United States, twelve months in Vietnam, two years in the Philippines and weeks wearing out her shoe leather trekking round all four corners of the globe: "I'm a very physical person", she explains. Add to that a free flight licence in paragliding, her very active involvement in community organizations and a novel published by Gallimard, La Note sensible. Writing is a vital complement to the pace at which she lives. "I liked words before I liked reading. I used to chew on words, turning them over and over in the poetry I was writing or reciting. Today, I always write on the go, between an appointment at the dentist's and an exhibition, rarely sitting down at a table."
The result? Numerous literary projects, including some "four-handers" (and in fact Valentine does play the piano) with a photographer. "I'm interested in all sorts of things. For me, writing isn't about working in solitude, cut off from the world. I like getting my hands dirty, meeting people, real life." We'll take her word for it.
Achievements since winning the grant
Valentine Goby divides her time between writing for adults and literature for children and young people.
Literature for adults:
2003 Sept jours, novel, Gallimard.
2005 L’Antilope Blanche, published by Gallimard
She is currently writing her fourth novel.
Literature for children and young people:
2004 Bonnes vacances (Gallimard Jeunesse) is a collection of 27 stories by French-speaking authors compiled by Jean-Félix de La Ville and Valentine Goby in their community organization L’Ecrit du cœur, which is chaired by Valentine Goby. The organization's aim is to rally authors around social solidarity initiatives, and in 2006 it supported the humanitarian organization Secours populaire.
2005: De l’eau de-ci de-là, a collection of writings in support of the emergency humanitarian aid organization Solidarités.
2006: Va y avoir du sport! published by Gallimard Jeunesse, in support of Sport Sans Frontières.
Valentine also freelances and teaches French and drama to 11-15 year-olds.
News September 2008
Her latest novel, Qui touche à mon corps, je le tue, was published in August 2008 by Gallimard. Valentine Goby is on the short list for the Prix Goncourt literary prize and for the Goncourt des Lycéens prize (voted by secondary school pupils)
Her new novel for children, “LE SECRET D’ANGELICA-De l’Italie au fermes du Sud-Ouest” (Angelica's Secret – From Italy to the farms of the south-west) was published by Autrement on 10 September.
Her fourth novel, L'échappée (Gallimard), has been published in August 2007.
Literature for children :
In 2007 is published Manuelo de La Plaine, Gallimard Jeunesse.The novel of a young Spanish immigrant, at the end of the 30 s in the shanty town of the Plaine Saint-Denis.
Have also been published this year, Le cahier de Leila, de l’Algérie à Billancourt and Le rêve de Jacek, de la Pologne aux corons du Nord by Autrement Jeunesse, the two first volumes of the collection Français d’ailleurs which Valentine Goby is the author, and which has for editorial line our story seen by the unusual immigrant child in France, mixed with memories and anecdotes, and emphasized by important events. These books are illustrated by Ronan Badel and Olivier Tallec, and are completed by a documentary report.
