People will read for different reasons, but what does it mean to read well? Author María Amparo Escandòn of the instant New York Times bestselling and International Latino Book Award winning novel L.A. Weather (Flatiron Books, which is newly released in paperback) answers our question on the topic. “Most books have layers,” she tells So Booking Cool. “If you don’t read well, you stay on the top layer. But … Read the rest
In his gripping memoir The Anatomy of a Corporate Lynching (now updated and available as an audiobook), Charles Ford reveals the retaliation he faced from his job Con Edison after he went to the media and pursued legal action over them pirating his slogan. As one may imagine, things became rocky at work, so much so that he began tape-recording his exchanges. He writes that he felt dissed, disregarded, and … Read the rest
There are two pivotal events that shaped how Robert Agis, president of the independent children’s publisher, Starry Forest Books, works with his team. One hails from the time he was frustrated that a then-colleague’s ideas were ignored during a meeting, the other from a teaching he learned from an improv class. “One of the great things they teach you is if you treat your teammates as though they are … Read the rest
If you’re a Whitney Houston fan who is not a Robyn Crawford fan, this film is not for you. In all seriousness, if you follow Lena Waithe’s work, you know that she is a big fan of the late great Houston. The Emmy and MTV award-winning multi-hyphenate bravely and boldly created Beauty, the new film that is undoubtedly inspired by the woman many of us know as “The Voice.” … Read the rest
The silver lining for debut author and high school student Arjun Vij during the pandemic was writing and publishing his children’s book In Bad Water (May 17, 2021). When he was not doing remote learning, his free time prompted him to think about his time in Eswatini, a life-changing event that inspired his clean water activism.
“One thing I did was, I just imagined the trip that I took,” the … Read the rest
People who move on from projects without looking back can learn a thing or two from educator and author Latoya B. McPherson. Her zest for her book Scars That Never Heal, which celebrates seven years in print, only grows with time. “Scars That Never Heal is my assignment,” the Connecticut native tells So Booking Cool. “It is my passion. It was given to me by the inspiration of … Read the rest
Next month (March 8 to be exact) marks the 50th anniversary of the historical boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, otherwise known as the Fight of the Century. Glenn Lewis, author and director of York College-CUNY’s Journalism program, covered Frazier for many months in 1980, in which he details in his new book Sparring With Smokin’ Joe: Joe Frazier’s Epic Battles and Rivalry with Ali (Rowman & … Read the rest
A goal for the new picture book Ambitious Girl (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, January 19, 2020) by New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ niece, Meena Harris, is to cease the limitation of girls’ expectations and opportunities, says the illustrator Marissa Valdez.
“This whole book, Ambitious Girl, is kind of based around Meena’s aunt Kamala Harris and how people … Read the rest
What would legendary book editor Maxwell Perkins (F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe) tell his great-granddaughter, public relations guru and debut author Jane Owen today? “I think he would say ‘Keep working at it,'” she tells So Booking Cool. “I definitely don’t think that I’ve done my best work yet. I’m very, very proud of the book that I’ve written. I think that it’s great; I actually read … Read the rest
A lifechanging moment for New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Sajidah “S. K.” Ali was when her middle school teacher told her she had a talent for writing. “I just remember a lot feeling like I wasn’t anything special or spectacular when I went out into the world,” she tells So Booking Cool. Although she grew up in a loving home (and one that encouraged her as a book … Read the rest
