Allegra Huston

Allegra Huston (born 26 August 1964) is a British-American author, editor, and writer based in Taos, New Mexico.

She is the author of Write What You Don't Know (with James Navé), the book of the Imaginative Storm creative writing method; Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, and the novel A Stolen Summer (Say My Name in hardback); as well as How to Edit and Be Edited and How to Read for an Audience (with James Navé).

She is also the screenwriter and producer of the short film Good Luck, Mr. Gorski, and producer of the short film Why Am I?

Early life and family Allegra Huston was born to ballerina Enrica Soma Huston and John Julius Norwich, 2nd Viscount Norwich, a British historian and writer. After her mother’s death in a car accident when Huston was four years old, she was raised in Ireland and Los Angeles by film director John Huston, her mother’s estranged husband.

Career

Writing and publishing She hold a First Class Degree in English Language and Literature from Hertford College, Oxford and spent 9 years in publishing in the UK, as Editor at Chatto & Windus and her last four years as Editorial Director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Books edited by Huston include Jane Goodall's Through a Window, Robert Conquest's biography of Stalin, and Juliet Barker's The Brontes.

She also worked for two years at Pathé in London as development and acquisition consultant (1994-97) As an editor she has worked with 3 Booker Prize winners and 2 Nobel Prize winners.

Her memoir, Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found (2009), explores her complex family history and upbringing and was critically well received. Her first novel, Say My Name, was published by HarperCollins.

In addition to books, Huston has written personal essays and commentary on relationships, family life, and emotional honesty. A widely read essay published in You Magazine (Daily Mail) in 2017 examined the emotional impact of separation, parenting, and the challenges of sustaining family life, drawing on her own experiences.

Huston is a long-time creative writing teacher and workshop leader. She has taught at institutions and literary programs including the OSLEP program at the University of Oklahoma, the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the Taos Writers Conference.

Huston and Navé regularly offer online workshops, in-person intensives, and multi-day writing retreats, focusing on voice, narrative momentum, character development, and creative confidence.

Film and other work

Huston wrote the award-winning short film Good Luck, Mr. Gorski. Her creative work spans memoir, fiction, film, and teaching.

Personal life

Huston has lived for many years in Taos, New Mexico, where she raised her son Rafael Patrick Gerónimo Niño de Ortíz Ladrón de Guevara. His father is Cisco Guevara, legendary river rafter and professional storyteller.

She holds British and American citizenship and has written about the experience of navigating identity, family, and belonging across countries.

Published works Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, published in April 2009 by Simon & Schuster (US) and Bloomsbury (UK). Twice 5 Miles Guides: How to Edit and Be Edited and How to Read for an Audience (with James Navé)