The advice Booki Vivat, author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling series, Frazzled, has for other authors and illustrators is to not discredit their creative work. “… Doodling, I totally dismissed it as not being creative,” she tells So Booking Cool. “I grew up writing fanfiction, and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s not writing, that’s not really writing.’ But it is. And all of these things people … Read the rest
Interview With “How to Be Remy Cameron” Author Julian Winters! (Part 2)
Do you ever wonder what your favorite authors talk about with other authors? LGBT novelist Julian Winters revealed in part 2 of our interview that their conversations are widespread. Sometimes the topics are, of course, book related, but not always. “We can talk about things we struggle with—like I really struggle writing a synopsis and I remember having a full-on conversation with five other authors about writing synopses and … Read the rest
Interview With Words Without Borders Campus’ Editor & Curriculum Designer, Nadia Kalman!
If you’ve ever taught a class, prepared a workshop or seminar, chances are you can relate to Nadia Kalman’s thoughts on curriculum. “A curriculum is only as good as the day that you present a lesson to a particular group of students,” the education consultant told So Booking Cool. “So, as a teacher, even if you are given a curriculum to execute, you have to modify it for … Read the rest
Interview With Afro-Pop Singer FATi!
Some people prefer to keep their goals private. Recording artist FATi is one of those people. Despite having musical ties in her family (she is related to jazz singer Senabella aka The Bronzeville Diva and her (FATi) great-grandmother was a respected jazz artist during the 1940s), FATi chose not to disclose her musical aspirations. The reason is simple: she wanted to protect her dreams. “When something is dear to your … Read the rest
Interview With Literary Publicist, Lathea Williams!
Lathea Williams might not have initially chosen book publishing as a career, but the driving force for why she chooses to remain in the industry is due to history. “There was a point in time where as a black person, we weren’t even given the opportunity to read. We were chastised for it. So I’m very much aware of my history and that’s one of the main things that keeps … Read the rest
Interview With Michelle Wolett, Owner of Once Upon a Book Club!
Once Upon a Book Club is not the typical book subscription box. It enhances the reading experience by including a replication of an item mentioned in the novel. As you can imagine, this concept is engaging for people, an aspect that the company’s founder, Michelle Wolett, appreciates. “I’ve learned that it’s really helping the world read more,” Wolett told So Booking Cool. “So that’s the part that I … Read the rest
Interview With “Maki” filmmaker Naghmeh Shirkhan!
Out of all male nominees, Naghmeh Shirkhan won Best Director for her feature film Maki at this past week’s Chelsea Film Festival, a victory that both surprises but makes sense to the filmmaker. “It’s been such a long road for me, and I have kept at it. To me, it should not matter whether you’re male or female, the work should stand on its own,” Shirkhan told So Booking Cool… Read the rest
Interview With Jerald L. Hoover, Author of “My Friend, My Hero”! (UPDATED)
Though it took nine years for Jerald L. Hoover to get his book, My Friend, My Hero published, it would later celebrate 25 years of release; win multiple awards and garner accolades; become a semi-finalist in the Gotham Screenplay Contest; and make Hoover a staple in his hometown of Mount Vernon. He was awarded with the WritersCorp Award by president Bill Clinton and was among the top selling black authors … Read the rest
Interview With Zachary S. Williams of “I Am Frankie”!
For something that was initially a hobby, young actor and musician Zachary S. Williams has serious goals for his career in entertainment. In addition to his aspiration to become a director, the Nickelodeon star also hopes to launch an organization that will connect children to the arts.
“Art, in general, is an important field that I think most people need to experience, and the younger, the better,” the 18-year-old told, … Read the rest
Interview With Tom Wascoe, Author of “Child of the Dust”!
There are two things Tom Wascoe wants readers to take away from his book Child of the Dust: love conquers all and the importance of the Vietnam War. The story is inspired by Wascoe’s service in the army as well as his Corporate Officer career at a Fortune 100 company. He once told someone that he would write a book about the war, and accomplished his goal forty years later.… Read the rest