Carolyn Ferrell is an award-winning American author of short stories, novels, and essays. She is best known for her collection of short stories, Don't Erase Me, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2000. Her other works include the novel Mercy, the collection of essays and stories, The Sleeping Father, and the novel The Odds. Ferrell's work is known for its lyrical, poetic language and its exploration of themes of identity, race, and gender.