Priscilla Morris

Morris' mother is from Sarajevo, Bosnia and her father is from England.^[1] Growing up, she spent her summers in Sarajevo.^[2]

In 1993, relatives fleeing the siege of Sarajevo stayed at her family's home in London.^[1] Her father used a Times press pass to travel to Sarajevo and rescue his parents in law.^[2] Her great uncle, artist Dobrivoje Beljkašić, also fled the siege of Sarajevo.^[1][2]

Morris began university in 1993.^[2] She has a PhD in creative writing from the University of East Anglia and works as a lecturer.^[3]

Morris' debut novel, Black Butterflies, is set during siege of Sarajevo and is inspired by the experiences of Morris and her family.^[1] In 2023, it was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Ondaatje Prize and the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award.^[4][5][6] In 2025 it was the runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize for fiction.^[7] It sold 5,979 copies before the 3rd of June 2023.^[8]