Author Daphne Fama ’14 returned to campus Sept. 5 to read from her debut novel House of Monstrous Women, a kick off to the 50th anniversary celebration of Guilford’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program. Daphne told students, faculty and alumni in the Gilmer Room that she traces her identity as a writer back to the College.

“Guilford was some of the best four years of my life,” Fama said. “I came here because I felt free to be myself. No one judged me, and I felt like I could soar. That freedom gave me the confidence to chase my dreams — and this book is one of them.”

Published by Penguin Random House, Fama’s horror novel draws on Filipino folklore and family memory to explore themes of women’s resilience, intergenerational trauma and queer identity. She shared a haunting passage from the book, then traced her path from Guilford to law school, and how she eventually reclaimed her creative voice.

Daphne said her mother, who grew up impoverished in the Philippines, always wanted her to be a lawyer and Daphne dutifully did. “She didn’t want me to live in poverty as she did,” says Daphne. “I followed that path, but I felt hollow.”

“It was during the pandemic that Daphne gave myself permission to pursue my dream of writing. I poured all of those expectations — the ones placed on me and on women across generations — into this book. Writing it was my way of claiming myself again. And I never would have had the courage without the foundation Guilford gave me.”

Students and faculty engaged Fama in a wide-ranging conversation about her writing process, the role of folklore and horror in capturing cultural history, and the challenges of publishing. She credited Guilford’s WGSS courses and community with shaping her critical lens. “Guilford taught me to question inherited narratives and embrace storytelling as a way to resist silence. That training is woven into every page of this novel,” she says.

The reading was the first in a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of Guilford’s WGSS program, one of the oldest in the nation. Fama ended her talk with a message for students: “Even if you can only write late at night after a long day, do it,” she said. “If you have a dream, pursue it. It’s worth it.”

Daphne’s homecoming underscored not only the power of her novel but also the formative role Guilford plays in helping students find their voices. Through Uniquely Guilford, the College’s signature approach to hands-on, interdisciplinary learning, students combine classroom exploration with real-world experience, preparing them to lead with creativity, courage and purpose. That foundation shaped Daphne’s journey as a writer and continues to form stronger students every day. 

For more information about how Guilford can help you grow and succeed, contact Steve Mencarini.