This episode of PCN Profiles features young adult novelist Sharon G. Flake. She is best known for her debut novel The Skin I'm In, which released in 1998. Ms. Flake's novels are aimed at African-American youth, taking on tough topics and shining lights into areas of life we may not want to see. Born in Philadelphia, Ms. Flake's experiences growing up in the inner-city feed into her novels, the voices and communities from that time spilling into her work today.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Sharon spent the decade after working as a house parent with a local youth shelter. In 1987, she was offered a position doing public relations work with the University of Pittsburgh, culminating as Director of Public Relations at the University's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. Ms. Flake has authored eight novels, a children's book, and has contributed to multiple anthologies.

This episode of PCN Profiles airs August 23rd at 8:30pm.

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