# Hillary Raphael

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**Hillary Raphael** (born April 12, 1976) is an American novelist, fashion and children's book writer. She holds an [MFA](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts) in Fiction from [Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).

## Works

At [Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College) Raphael won the MFA Thesis Prize for her novel, *I Love Lord Buddha*[1][2] published by now defunct Creation Books.[3] Raphael's books and mentorship inspired Nina-Marie Gardner[4] to write *Sherry & Narcotics*.[5] African Books Collective said “Her writing is akin to a poetic trance that manages to convey an unexpected and taunting fragile beauty.”[6]

Raphael is also known for a non-fiction book about the Japanese [butoh](/source/Butoh) dance movement, *Outcast Samurai Dancer*,[7] a collaboration with Japanese culture expert [Donald Richie](/source/Donald_Richie)[8] and photographer Meital Hershkovitz. Her novel *Backpacker: New York, Seoul, Phnom Penh, Sapporo, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Mexico City, Maputo, Tokyo mon amour* was published in 2007.[9] *Ximena* followed in 2008[10] on her own Future Fiction London imprint.[11]

Raphael wrote a photography essay in Torbjorn Rodland's *White Planet, Black Heart*.[12] She also appears, without identification, as a model in the same book. Although Raphael wrote cult[13] [transgressive fiction](/source/Transgressive_fiction)[14] under her own name, she expanded with a pseudonym.

Since 2014 Raphael writes and illustrates children's books under the name Shoshana Banana. Her debut title *Family Ties*[15] was named one of the Best Jewish Children's Books of 2015 by [Tablet Magazine](/source/Tablet_(magazine)).[16] Her second children's book, *Picture a Chinchilla*,[17] incorporates vintage textiles. *Levi & Aya*,[18] published in 2016 debuted at #1 in its category on Amazon UK. *Get Ready For My Mani-Pedi!* followed in 2017.[19]

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, her pandemic fashion thriller PARIS LOVE SUICIDE was released.[20] A vintage fashion collector and dealer, Raphael writes copy for numerous fashion companies in New York and Japan.

## Interviews

Interviews with Raphael feature in *[3:AM Magazine](/source/3:AM_Magazine)*,[21] *[SuicideGirls](/source/SuicideGirls)*,[22] *TORO MAGAZINE*.[11] and *OVGuide*.[9]

## References

1. ["Best of 2004: Karmic Relief"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140328154639/http://www.dailycandy.com/new-york/article/22327/I-Love-Lord-Buddha-by-Hillary-Raphael). *Daily Candy*. Daily Candy. Archived from [the original](http://www.dailycandy.com/new-york/article/22327/I-Love-Lord-Buddha-by-Hillary-Raphael) on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Raphael, Hillary (October 1, 2004). *I Love Lord Buddha*. United Kingdom: Creation Books. ISBN 184068111X.

1. ["CREATION BOOKS"](http://www.creationbooks.com). *Creation Books*. Creation Books. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Gardner, Nina-Marie. ["Hillary Raphael & Future Fiction London"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161107014231/http://www.ninamariegardner.com/blog/hillary-raphael-future-fiction-london). *ninamariegardner.com*. Nina-Marie Gardner. Archived from [the original](http://www.ninamariegardner.com/blog/hillary-raphael-future-fiction-london) on November 7, 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Gardner, Nina-Marie (May 1, 2011). *Sherry & Narcotics*. United Kingdom: Future Fiction London. ISBN 978-0982792827.

1. ["Hillary Raphael: author of I Love Lord Buddha"](http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/an-underground-colony-of-summer-bees/hillary-raphael-author-of-i-love-lord-buddha). *African Books Collective*. African Books Collective. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. ["Outcast Samurai Dancer by Meital Hershkovitz, Hillary Raphael"](https://www.waterstones.com/book/outcast-samurai-dancer/meital-hershkovitz/hillary-raphael/9781840680980). *Waterstones*. Waterstones. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. ["Outcast Samurai Dancer by Richie, Donald & Hillary Raphael"](https://www.abebooks.com/Outcast-Samurai-Dancer-Richie-Donald-Hillary/15641977880/bd). *AbeBooks*. AbeBooks. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. [""Hillary Raphael" Video Interviews"](https://www.ovguide.com/hillary-raphael-9202a8c04000641f80000000046f61fb). *OVGuide*. Amazon. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Raphael, Hillary (July 28, 2008). *Ximena*. United Kingdom: Future Fiction London. ISBN 978-0615208138.

1. Bak, Louise. ["A Twist of Geisha"](http://www.toromagazine.com/sex/sex-column/2411b9b2-0c74-7cd4-ed48-727b03c22581/A-Twist-of-Geisha-). *TORO MAGAZINE*. TORO MAGAZINE. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. ["Torbjorn Rodland - White Planet, Black Heart"](http://www.mackbooks.co.uk/books/382-White-Planet-Black-Heart.html). *MACK*. SteidMACK. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. ["Ximena - AbeBooks - Hillary Raphael"](https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780615208138/Ximena-Hillary-Raphael-0615208134/plp). *AbeBooks*. AbeBooks. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. ["Goodreads I Love Lord Buddha by Hillary Raphael"](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143780.I_Love_Lord_Buddha). *Goodreads*. Goodreads. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Banana, Shoshana (December 1, 2014). *Family Ties*. Kar-Ben Publishing. ISBN 978-0615970820.

1. sam says (2015-12-03). ["The Best Jewish Children's Books of 2015 – Tablet Magazine"](http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/195314/best-jewish-childrens-books-2015). Tabletmag.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.

1. Banana, Shoshana (January 27, 2015). *Picture a Chinchilla*. Picture It In My Head Books. ISBN 978-0982792858.

1. Banana, Shoshana (February 19, 2016). *Levi & Aya*. Picture It In My Head Books. ISBN 978-0982792865.

1. Banana, Shoshana (15 January 2017). *Get Ready for My Mani-Pedi!*. ISBN 978-0982792872.

1. Raphael, Hillary (14 May 2020). [*Paris Love Suicide*](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982792883/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). ISBN 978-0982792889.

1. Stevens, Andrew (8 October 2005). ["Listen to the Voice of Buddha"](http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/listen-to-the-voice-of-buddha/). *3:AM Magazine*. 3:AM Magazine. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

1. Epstein, Daniel Robert. ["I Love Lord Buddha author Hillary Raphael"](https://www.suicidegirls.com/girls/anderswolleck/blog/2679185/i-love-lord-buddha-author-hillary-raphael/). *SuicideGirls*. SuicideGirls. Retrieved 2016-12-09.

## External links

- [Future Fiction London](https://www.futurefictionlondon.com)
- [Shoshana Banana on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Shoshana-Banana/e/B00QGZ036O/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1)
- [Amazon author page](https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00J231FYG)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hillary Raphael](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Raphael) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Raphael?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.