Louisiana Writer Award
Novelist Farrah Rochon is the 2026 recipient of the Louisiana Writer Award, presented annually by the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana. Rochon is the 27th recipient of the prestigious award that recognizes outstanding contributions to Louisiana’s literary and intellectual life exemplified by a contemporary Louisiana writer’s body of work.
A native of Edgard, Louisiana, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Farrah Rochon began making up stories before she could hold a pencil. Throughout her grade school and high school years, she nourished her love of reading with frequent trips to the library, often writing stories of her own when she couldn’t find anything that caught her interest. But it wasn’t until she began her studies as an undergraduate at Xavier University of Louisiana that she considered that writing could be something other than just a hobby. She honed her storytelling skills in graduate school at Southeastern Louisiana University, writing her novel longhand between classes as she worked toward her master’s degree in psychology.
She was named Shades of Romance Magazine’s (SORMAG) Best New Author of 2007 and was nominated for an Emma Award for best debut author the same year. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers’ Choice Awards.
Rochon was a two-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s vaunted RITA Award and was a Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award nominee. In 2015, she won the Emma Award for Author of the Year. Her work has gone on to earn numerous accolades in the Romance industry.
Rochon found her footing in contemporary romance and solidified herself as one to watch in the genre, writing more than a dozen category-length novels for Harlequin’s Kimani Romance line. With the rise of independent publishing in the earlier 2010’s, Rochon eventually went the hybrid route, writing for both traditional publishing houses as well as publishing on her own.
In 2020, Rochon roared back into traditional publishing with the release of The Boyfriend Project series. Featured in national magazines such as Cosmopolitan, O: The Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and more, the trilogy, which follows three women who become fast friends after discovering they are being catfished by the same guy, was optioned for film by Muse Entertainment.
Rochon served on the national board of directors of Romance Writers of America for five years and has given back to local writing groups across south Louisiana by delivering workshops, judging contests, and mentoring up-and-coming writers.
Regarding her philosophy on paying it forward, Rochon says, “Giving back to other writers is how I stay grounded. It reminds me that, although it can be an insular job, none of us can do this alone. So many writers were there for me when I first started out, and it would be a pity if I could not be there for those coming up after and alongside me.”
Rochon’s career took an unexpected turn in 2022 with the publication of Almost There, the thirteenth book in Disney’s popular Twisted Tales series, her first foray into writing young adult novels. She has gone on to publish more than a half-dozen novels and short stories with Disney Publishing, with more to come in 2027 and 2028. She also continues to publish her beloved romance novels and in 2027 she will publish her first standalone book in more than a decade, an as-yet-untitled romantic women’s fiction set on the island of Santorini, Greece.
When asked about setting books outside of the United States, Rochon said, “As much as I love Louisiana, I’ve gained an appreciation for different countries and cultures around the world and love to explore them in my work.”
However, Rochon says that Louisiana remains one of the best places to set a book. “There is nothing like my home state, and I love showcasing it through my work. Whenever I write a book set in New Orleans, the city becomes its own character. But I also like branching outside of the city. There are so many different areas in this state that deserve their time in the limelight. Nothing makes me happier than hearing someone say that they took a day trip to the bayou after reading about it in one of my books.”
When asked what it meant to be named the 2026 Louisiana Writer Award honoree, Rochon said, “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that those stories I used to spin in my head would lead to me receiving such a prestigious honor. Louisiana has a rich history of amazing writers, and it is beyond humbling to be recognized as one of them.”
Past Louisiana Writer Award Recipients
Maurice Carlos Ruffin - October 2023
Richard Campanella - November 2019
Sheryl St. Germain - November 2018
Johnette Downing - October 2017
Dr. Christina Vella - October 2016
Darrell Bourque - November 2014
Christine Wiltz - November 2013
Yusef Komunyakaa - October 2007
Lewis P. Simpson - October 2005
Shirley Ann Grau - November 2004
Carl Brasseaux - November 2003