Dani James is a writer and translator who grew up speaking French, English, and Flemish. She was born in New York City and grew up in Belgium. She holds a BA in English from Baruch College and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Writer’s Foundry at St. Joseph’s University.

Her English translation of Return to the Place I Never Left by Tobias Schiff was published in January 2025. The book is a 2025 National Jewish Book Award winner, 2026 IPPY Bronze Medal Winner, and Wayne State University Press bestseller.

Dani has appeared on The Creative Penn podcast, the Speaking Tongues podcast, and Translators Aloud. She teaches workshops about writing, translation, and multilingualism. She’s a CUNY Alumni 50 Under 50 Award recipient and loves music.