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Nicola Dinan

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Nicola Dinan
Born (1994-03-15) 15 March 1994 (age 31)
Hong Kong
Years active2020–present

Nicola Dinan (born 15 March 1994) is a British-Malaysian novelist. Her debut novel Bellies (2023) won the Polari First Book Prize.

Early life

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Dinan was born in Hong Kong to a British father and a Chinese-Malaysian mother and grew up between there and Kuala Lumpur,[1][2] where she attended an international school.[3] Dinan began her studies in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and "ended up specialising in the history and philosophy of science".[4] She then pursued a law conversion and subsequently worked at a law firm reviewing contracts.[5][6] While penning her debut novel, Dinan joined the Faber Academy's Writing a Novel workshop.[7][8]

Career

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In March 2022, Doubleday won a nine-way auction to publish Dinan's debut novel Bellies in summer 2023.[9][10] Starting the writing process in 2020, she had initially written Bellies as a short story titled "early morning single bed".[11][12] Set in the late 2010s, the novel explores how its main character Ming's transition impacts her interpersonal relationships rather than portraying the process as "highly individual".[13] Ahead of its release, Element Pictures optioned the rights to adapt Bellies for television.[14] Bellies won the 2024 Polari First Book Prize.[15] It was also previously shortlisted for the 2021 Mo Siewcharran Prize[16] and later a Lambda Literary Award.[17]

In 2024, Dinan joined Royal Holloway, University of London as a tutor on the university's Creative Writing MA course.[7] She reunited with Doubleday[18] for the publication of her second novel Disappoint Me in 2025.[19][20] Disappoint Me was a Service95 Book Club pick.[21]

Dinan is in the process of writing her third novel and first work of speculative fiction set in 1987 Hong Kong.[22]

Bibliography

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  • Bellies (2023)
  • Disappoint Me (2025)

References

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  1. ^ Silvers, Isabella (23 October 2023). "Nicola Dinan: "Racial identity is so contingent on time and place"". Mixed Messages. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  2. ^ Sproull, Patrick (13 July 2023). "Nicola Dinan: "Trans people should have the freedom to be pieces of shit too"". i-D. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Nicola Dinan Does Not Disappoint". Mulazine. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  4. ^ Tobin, Katie. "Nicola Dinan on her debut novel, Bellies". The London Magazine. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  5. ^ Smith, Serena (14 December 2023). "Nicola Dinan: Getting to know the Dazed 100 writer". Dazed. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ^ Alexander, Martha (7 February 2025). "Nicola Dinan: "I Want to Offer Complex Characterisations of Trans People"". AnOther. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b Olivia Emily (29 November 2024). "Nicola Dinan: 'I Hope My Writing Always Speaks To Something Very Human'". Country and Town House. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Writing a Novel Success Stories". Faber Academy. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ Bayley, Sian (21 March 2022). "Doubleday snaps up 'tender' debut novel by Dinan in five-way auction". The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ^ Power, Chris (2 July 2023). "Bellies by Nicola Dinan review — a trans love story with shades of Sally Rooney". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  11. ^ Robert Lee Brewer (2 August 2023). "Nicola Dinan: On Trusting the Process to Find Writing Success". Writers' Digest. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ Hall, Jake (11 September 2023). "'You can literally just do it': Nicola Dinan on intimacy, representation and Bellies". Huck. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ Rorison, Alex (3 June 2024). "Very human problems with Nicola Dinan". Hunger. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  14. ^ Yossman, KJ (13 December 2022). "'Normal People' Producer Element Pictures to Adapt Nicola Dinan's 'Bellies' for TV". Variety. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  15. ^ Olivia Emily (19 November 2024). "Nicola Dinan, Jon Ransom & Sarah Hagger-Holt Win The 2024 Polari Prizes". Country and Town House. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  16. ^ Wood, Heloise (10 September 2021). "Mo Siewcharran Prize shortlist revealed". The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  17. ^ Lou, Jo (5 June 2024). "Meet the Transgender Fiction Finalists for the 36th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Electric Literature. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  18. ^ Snow, Maia (2 September 2024). "Doubleday acquires rights to new novel from Bellies author Nicola Dinan". The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  19. ^ Teo, Sharlene (2 January 2025). "Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan review – a fresh take on modern love". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  20. ^ Diamond-Rivlin, Alexandra (23 January 2025). "Nicola Dinan's new novel is a study in heteronormativity". Dazed. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  21. ^ "The Must-Read Books To Have On Your Radar In 2025". Service95. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  22. ^ Doyle, Martin (11 January 2025). "Author Nicola Dinan: 'Working as a lawyer taught me how much can turn on a single word'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
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