From books and journalism to filmmaking, Stacie Davis Hamilton has been a storyteller for many years. The likes of Mildred D. Taylor (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry), Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun), and Barbara Park (Junie B. Jones) were early inspirations, especially the latter who she credits for introducing her to writing. A pivotal moment in her journey came during her … Read the rest
Aside from trying to get published, writer’s block is a common challenge among writers. An issue that often prevents people from even writing at all is self-doubt, something romance novelist Devyn Bakewell has noticed through her visits and work with younger writers. “The advice that I’ve really been asked a lot for is this belief in your own voice,” the Greater Love and Greater Life (New Degree Press) author tells … Read the rest
The relationship that young people have with books and reading help shape who they become. Entrepreneur, speaker, and debut author Tiffany Lanier reflects on how her beginnings with literature made her the woman she is today. The defining moment arrived when she was in the third grade at one of her parent-teacher conferences.
“The teacher told my mom she felt like I was illiterate,” The Morning Shift Co. founder tells … Read the rest
When you write a story, you not only hope it will resonate, you also hope that those involved in the creative process will do it justice. So, how did children’s book author John Bray feel when he could not communicate with illustrator Josh Cleland during the development of The End (Starry Forest Books, September 13, 2022)?
“It was nerve-wracking because you’re handing over–kind of a child–a thing that … Read the rest
When Absolution creator Rachelle Storm writes the supernatural series, is she exclusively writing for longtime fans of the genre or also hoping to attract new fans? The novelist, who released the second book Revelations earlier this month, reveals it has been tricky to even categorize it due to the books’ various elements. At times, the four-part story leans into fantasy and romance and at times it does not.
“It’s this … Read the rest
A songwriting technique that singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ava Della Pietra has applied is the art of concise storytelling. “In a song, you don’t really have that much room to say that much,” the 17-year-old tells So Booking Cool. “So, you kind of have to figure out how to make it concise while also not making it feel like it’s concise…also, little things like figuring out where to get rid of the little … 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
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
There is not a lot of modern-day fiction that centers Black Love and Black college life, something Howard University senior and Greater Love (Ingram Publisher, December 11, 2020) author Devyn Bakewell wants to help change. In the debut of her series, Greater Love, readers get to know aspiring screenwriter Ryan and football player Devyn, both of whom attend the historical Black college, Truth University. Like supporting characters in the … Read the rest
At the height of her drinking, self-proclaimed Hope Dealer Jen SluMac turned to a women’s bookstore and asked if there were any books about alcoholism. “On what?” was the initial response she got before they found Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp. SluMac read the memoir three times. “It gave me a little more space in my shame, to breathe,” she shares with So Booking Cool. “I was … Read the rest
