Paule Mashall was the author of Brown Girl, Brownstones; The Chosen Place, the Timeless People; Praisesong for the Widow; Soul Clap Hands and Sing; Reena and Other Stories; Merle; The Fisher King; Triangular Road; and Daughters. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she was Professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She passed away in 2019.