Valentina Gorvokaj was born and raised in Malësia, an ethnic Albanian land in Montenegro. She started writing poems since she knew how to connect a sentence or two.
“My mother used to sing songs to me all the time and I wanted to have songs of my own,” says Gorvokaj. She was 11-years old when her first poem was published in the city’s daily newspaper. She has joined literary groups ever since.
After graduating from high school, Gorvokaj went to college to study English and Literature. She published several of her poems in the student publications. In 1996, her long awaiting wish came true when her first collection of poems was published under the titleShpresa Është Shtesë e Fundit (Hope Is the Last We Lose)in Albanian and translated to Serbian. That same year Gorvokaj left everything she had behind to follow a new dream and came to the United States of America.
Gorvokaj attended Westchester Community College where she studied Communication Arts. Again, the thirst she had for writing wouldn't die away. She started writing in English. She discovered a new way to write and this time it was journalism. Gorvokaj wrote news and feature articles for the biweekly student newspaperThe Viking. She managed to be the news editor. After two years she graduated with an Associate in Arts degree.
She transferred to Iona College where she pursued a major in Mass Media Communications/Journalism. There, she wrote for the student newspaperThe Ionian. She held a number of internships some of which includedThe Women's NewsandAshlee Publishingwhere she published some of her articles, as well. One month after graduation she landed her first real job as a copywriter for an international law publisher, which was different from what she was expecting for her writing career. Gorvokaj holds a BA in journalism, MS in teaching and MS in School Administration from Iona College.
“I still write stories, articles and poems and I try to bring my passion for writing into the classroom,” says Gorvokaj.
Sunday Farawayis Gorvokaj’s first collection of poems in English.
Valentina Gorvokaj lives in New York with her husband, Gjekotë Curanaj, and two children.
Copyright © 2003-2015 by Valentina Gorvokaj
