Egypt's novelist. In her successful debut novel, 'Maryam's Maze', published in 2004, Mansoura won widespread acclaim for her depiction of a young girl's struggle to distinguish between dreams and reality. Her second and latest novel 'Beyond Paradise' was shortlisted for 2010 International Prize for Arab Fiction. Started publishing short stories in the Arab press when Mansoura was just 21, and a collection Dhawa's Muhtaz (Shaken Light) was published in Cairo in 2001. She worked in Egyptian television, and currently runs the book review section of the renowned Egyptian literary magazine Akhbar al-Adab (Literature News). Born in a small village in Delta Egypt, Mansoura Ez-Eldin graduated in journalism from Cairo University in 1998.