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
Interview With Illustrator Marissa Valdez of “Ambitious Girl” By Meena Harris!
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 were … Read the rest
Interview With Songstress & Radio Host Alyson Williams! (PART 2)
The relationship that R&B and jazz songstress Alyson Williams has with reading today stems from her childhood, which included vigorous academic requirements. “I don’t want to sound like it’s an excuse, I love books,” she tells So Booking Cool. “I physically love a book, the opening, the closing, the spine, the feel of a book, the smell of a book—I love books. But I find—and this is something people may … Read the rest
Interview With “Something to Say” Author Lisa Moore Ramée!
Voice is a common thread in So Booking Cool’s conversation with bestselling, critically acclaimed children’s book author, Lisa Moore Ramée. There’s the beloved ‘Shay’, Ramée’s debut protagonist from A Good Kind of Trouble (which has garnered renewed interest and now an Indie bestseller in paperback), whose voice has been praised and prompted whether it is important for Ramée to create resonant voices within her characters; there’s Ramée sharing the time … Read the rest
Interview With Businesswoman & “The Heart of a Leader” Author Kristin Harper!
If award-winning businesswoman and former Fortune 15 executive of 30-plus years, Kristin Harper, could tell her younger self something about the woman she is today, she probably would have said to have more fun. This prompted the next question: should professionals carve out time in their schedules to have fun now or wait until they reach their milestones? The Heart of a Leader: 52 Emotional Intelligence Insights to Advance … Read the rest
Interview With “The Summer of Juniper Jones” Author Daven McQueen!
Emerging novelist, Daven McQueen’s The Summer of Juniper Jones (Wattpad Books, June 16, 2020) is about a pair of best friends who aim to fulfill their summer bucket list under difficult circumstances. When Ethan Harper, a mixed-race youth, visits his aunt and uncle in small-town Alabama, he is confronted with some of the harsh realities of being a black male. The historical coming-of-age novel has already been a hit … Read the rest
Interview With “Stand Up, Yumi Chung!” Author Jessica Kim!
The adage: ‘if you love something let it go and if it comes back to you, it’s yours’ fits Stand Up, Yumi Chung! (March 17, 2020, Kokila) novelist, Jessica Kim. Before becoming a debut critically acclaimed published author, Kim had quit writing at one point. When she was a youth, in addition to comedy, she enjoyed writing, but didn’t foresee it as a profession, at least not as a … Read the rest
Interview With Author and Wordsmith Jane Harrington!
Author, writer, professor, and overall wordsmith Jane Harrington doesn’t get writer’s block, and when you hear why, it makes sense. “I guess I view writing as a broader thing, so I’m never gonna call it writer’s block,” she tells So Booking Cool. “Because I’m not just gonna sit in front of my computer and not produce something. I’m going to do something else to kind of ease the logs … Read the rest
Interview (PART 3) With “Supreme Models” Author Marcellas Reynolds!
Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion author, Marcellas Reynolds, is enjoying the reception he continues to receive for his debut book—legendary models like Iman and Pat Cleveland have praised it; production companies are reaching out to adapt it for the screens; and more models now want to be featured and interviewed by Reynolds. Needless to say, the Chicago native has more in store including plans to write … 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