WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST A by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele - The Young Folks "10 New YA Nonfiction Books Worth Adding To Your TBR Pile"

The Young Folks | August 21, 2020

“Want to take a break from your beloved fantasy, contemporary fiction, and sci-fi books? Look towards nonfiction books. There are many Young Adult nonfiction books releasing in 2020 that can enlighten you on American democracy, how to write a book, the environmentalist movement, and more. Here, I highlight 10 recent YA nonfiction releases that have informed, inspired and motivated readers in 2020.”

The YA edition of the New York Times bestselling book, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Story of Black Lives Matter and the Power to Change the World by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele was included on this lovely list. Follow the link above to read more.

Victoria Sanders
Connie Briscoe & Francesca Momplaisir - USA Today "100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read, from Abi Daré to Zora Neale Hurston"

USA Today | August 20, 2020

“Nonfiction books on race have resonated with readers across the country and on the USA TODAY Best-Selling Books list since the outcry spurred by George Floyd's death in May and the killing of Breonna Taylor in March – both Black, both dead at the hands of police. Readers are educating themselves on systemic racism and challenging their preconceptions about race.

But an equally powerful way to become more educated and enlightened is through fiction. Black authors give readers more insight into the Black experience, often by viewing the world through the lens of Black characters.

‘Fiction humanizes statistics; it humanizes people,’ says Farah Jasmine Griffin, pictured, an English professor who also chairs African American studies at Columbia University. ‘We invest in them ... in a way that we think their story is worthy of being told and we want to witness it. That’s profound, that’s absolutely profound. We care, it gives feeling and emotion and concern to something that might otherwise be easily stereotyped and caricatured. ... Fiction is an invitation to care.’

With input from Griffin and others, USA TODAY's Mary Cadden has culled a selection of 100 Black authors who write adult fiction. The list includes a variety of authors from established to debut, award-winning to best-selling, American and international. The authors specialize in a wide range of genres, including literary, speculative, fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery and more. But keep in mind, for every novelist we have included, there are scores more to be read and discovered.”

Connie Briscoe and Francesca Momplaisir were both included in this fantastic round-up! Follow the link above to read the full article.

Victoria Sanders
Alexander Smalls - The Washington Post Article "Black restaurateurs have always had a tough road. The pandemic has made money even more scarce."

The Washington Post | August 19, 2020

“Coming into 2020, African American chefs were growing in numbers and expertise. Some were even creating a golden age of refined Black heritage cooking and excellence.

No longer held hostage by a hierarchy that dismissed the foodways of the African diaspora, such Black chefs as Mashama Bailey, Kwame Onwuachi, Adrienne Cheatham and Eric Adjepong have given themselves permission to move away from European gastronomy as the only acceptable fare worthy of being deemed ‘cuisine.’ At the same time, they have reengaged the history and traditions of the African American kitchen and reinvented the pride and dignity of family recipes through the lens of modern cooking.

The only category traditionally afforded such chefs has been so-called soul food, whose main requirement seems to be that the person behind the stove is Black. But these chefs and others like them have expanded the culinary narrative. This, of course, is very personal to me. I have built my career on the goal of returning African American food to its origins and its rightful place among the long-revered fine-dining cuisines exalted around the world. And I worry that the coronavirus pandemic could jeopardize this progress.”

Follow the link above to read the rest of Alexander Small’s thought-provoking article.

Victoria Sanders
MEALS, MUSIC, AND MUSES by Alexander Smalls - Deep South Dining Interview

Deep South Dining | August 17, 2020

“Chef Alexander Smalls began his life in the South Carolina low country, but has traveled the world as a world class opera singer, opened some of Americas finest restaurants, and has the awards to prove it. His new cookbook, Meals, Music, and Muses: Recipes from My African American Kitchen bridges his two passions and presents them as binding forces of culture and history. Malcolm and Carol talk with Alexander about this new book, his South Carolina roots, and also hear from a show favorite about the elusive Hoover Sauce. Let's eat y'all!”

Follow the link above to listen to the entire interview!

Victoria Sanders
ME & MAMA by Cozbi A. Cabrera - Author Of... "'Me & Mama' Author-Illustrator Cozbi Cabrera Does It All"

Author Of | August 17, 2020

“There seems to be nothing Chicago multimedia artist Cozbi Cabrera cannot do. Her talents range from gorgeous illustration to lyrical written word to delicate textile art. Just glimpsing her website, visitors get an immediate sense that she is a special creative force to behold. In 2020, Cozbi has two children's books hitting shelves—Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, written by Illinois' own Suzanne Slade (Abrams, April 7th); and Me & Mama, for which she is both author and illustrator (Simon & Schuster, coming August 25th)—joining a stack of others titles that she has either written or illustrated. And lucky participants in November's SCBWI Illinois Interactive 2020 virtual conference will get to experience Cozbi's incredible talents upclose, as she works with artists in breakout sessions.

Cozbi has drawn national attention with her handmade collectible cloth dolls, called Muñecas. And her growing collection of children's books (including Thanks A Million, written by Nikki Grimes and published by Greenwillow Books; My Hair Is A Garden, Albert Whitman) have earned starred reviews. We thought it would be interesting to hear from Cozbi about her creative process.”

Follow the link above to read the full interview!

Victoria Sanders
WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST by Patrisse Cullors and asha bandele - Stylist UK "The 6 books to help you cope with change"

Stylist UK | August 12, 2020

“2020 has not gone to plan. On every level, all of us have been adapting to unexpected changes and, it’s safe to say, we’ve all struggled. This is because lockdown and Covid-19 has had an impact on almost every area of our lives: our time at home, our social circles, job security and plans, close relationships, family dynamics, health, holidays… the list goes on and on.

Also, as humans, we’re not great at adapting to change – our brains are hardwired towards familiarity and finding paths that work for us and protect us from harm. All of that has been totally blown out of the water.

So how do we adapt and learn to roll with the punches? Well, whatever part of life you’re struggling with, we’ve found the best 6 books to help you cope with change. 

Read on to discover the books you need – from break-ups and activism to job losses via new lifecycles and working from home.”

When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele was included in this beautiful round-up. Follow the link above to read more.

Victoria Sanders
MEALS, MUSIC, AND MUSES by Alexander Smalls - Taste "The Many Meals and Muses of Alexander Smalls"

Taste | August 10, 2020

“Alexander Smalls might be the only person who’s won a Grammy, a Tony, and a James Beard Award. His most recent book, Meals, Music, and Muses: Recipes from My African American Kitchen, bridges his celebrated careers as both an opera singer and a restaurateur while telling the story of Southern food through music. It’s a rich and layered read, with each chapter paying tribute to a genre of music and a genre of food that, as Smalls writes in the book’s introduction, ‘are rooted in a knotty lineage that connects West Africa and Western Europe.’ There’s jazz (the improvisational bites that begin a meal), spirituals (rice, pasta, and grits), and serenades (comforting sweets).

The book came out as a follow-up to Between Harlem and Heaven, the James Beard Award–winning cookbook that Smalls published with JJ Johnson and Veronica Chambers in 2018. It was published just as he put the finishing touches on Let Us Break Bread Together, the first recording he’s made in 30 years, which pays tribute to some of the musical history that he touches on in Meals Music, and Muses.

When COVID-19 hit, Smalls had to put the recording’s release, along with a new restaurant project in London, on pause, but he’s been staying busy and creative while quarantining at home in New York. We recently caught up over the phone to talk about how Meals, Music, and Muses came about, and how inextricably linked those meals and music can be.”

Follow the link above to read the entire interview.

Victoria Sanders
FOR THE BEST by Vanessa Lillie - Boston Globe "In a new reading box, two Rhode Island thrillers, a candle, and chocolate"

Boston Globe | August 6, 2020

“Ink Fish Books’ new Rhody Reader Box bundles what some would call required reading with trinkets inspired by the Ocean State.

The September box includes a signed copy of best-selling author Vanessa Lillie’s newest book, For The Best, in which a murder suspect tries to prove her innocence through a vlog. Also inside is a copy of her earlier release, Little Voices, an Aster Ocean State candle, whiskey-infused chocolate from Aura’s Chocolate Bar, and a handmade paper flower crafted by a local librarian. Ten percent of the sales from the boxes, each priced at $44.99, will go to the Rhode Island Writers Colony, which supports writers of color in residency programs.”

Follow the link above to read more!

Victoria Sanders
THE BLACK CABINET by Jill Watts - WICN Interview

WICN | August 6, 2020

“Inquiry welcomes back writer and historian JILL WATTS. She is a Professor of History at California State University. Her new book is a compelling account of the African Americans who worked hard to effect real and permanent political change during the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administrations. Professor Watts’ ‘must-read’ book is: THE BLACK CABINET: THE UNTOLD STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND POLITICS DURING THE AGE OF ROOSEVELT.”

Follow the link above to listen to the interview!

Victoria Sanders
THE SILENT WIFE by Karin Slaughter - Jackie K. Cooper "Karin Slaughter’s THE SILENT WIFE Is An Exquisite Novel"

Jackie K. Coper | August 4, 2020

“For me to enjoy a book it must have style and substance. For some readers style is enough, while others require an abundance of substance. Karin Slaughter always delivers both and her latest novel THE SILENT WIFE is a perfect example of how the two must merge. To have ‘style’ in your story you have to be in control of the plot and people it with fascinating characters. To have ‘substance’ you have to provide enough interest and detail to hold the reader’s attention. Check and check.”

Follow the link above to read the full review.

The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter is now available!

Victoria Sanders
Patrisse Cullors - British Vogue "The 20 Remarkable Activists On Vogue’s September Cover Are Ready To Change The World"

British Vogue | August 3, 2020

“On a Saturday in early June, I found myself blinking into the summer light as I emerged from London Underground’s Vauxhall station with two little girls beside me, witnessing something new. It was not the first major protest that month, not even the first Black Lives Matter protest, but as I stepped up on to that street, I felt an outpouring of raw, ancestral anger and outrage against racism on a scale I’ve never experienced before.

We had come to march because of the May killing of George Floyd; an act so callous and brazen his family described it as a ‘modern-day lynching’. The pain gathered after his death in Minnesota like an ocean swell, then rolled over the planet like a tsunami of Black rebellion, while injustices against Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Belly Mujinga, Shukri Abdi and so many more took centre stage. In London, we found ourselves surrounded by people of all races and ages, motorists beeping ‘Black. Lives. Matter’ in unison with the march and bus drivers throwing Black Power fists from behind their windscreens. As the veteran Black liberation activist Professor Angela Davis remarked about the protests in America, and the same was true of Britain, ‘We’ve never witnessed sustained demonstrations of this size that are so diverse.’”

Follow the link above to read the full article.

Victoria Sanders
THE BLACK CABINET by Jill Watts - Gary Shapiro's "From the Bookshelf" Interview

Gary Shapiro’s “From the Bookshelf” | August 3, 2020

“From the Bookshelf is heard on radio station KSCO in Santa Cruz California.  Host Gary Shapiro brings you interviews with best selling authors of fiction and non-fiction, graphic novelists, actors, photographers, and singer-songwriters discussing their works.”

Historian Jill Watts spoke with Gary Shapiro about her latest book: The Black Cabinet. Follow the link above to listen!

Victoria Sanders
THE SILENT WIFE by Karin Slaughter - Parade "The 20 Best Thrillers Ever, According to Author Karin Slaughter"

Parade | August 3, 2020

“As one can only expect from a Karin Slaughter crime thriller, her latest book The Silent Wife (William Morrow) comes with just the right amount of twists, turns, shocks, surprises and domestic thrill and shrill that will keep longtime fans of her Will Trent series on their toes—and welcome new readers to the party.

In The Silent Wife, Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Will Trent (and everyone’s favorite pediatrician-coroner Sara Linton) look into the murder of a young woman. When a prisoner recognizes the method of the attack (identical to the one for which he insists he’s been framed), they begin to dig into both crimes before it’s clear the original case is going to have to be solved first. But a decade has passed, and so have memories, witnesses and evidence, but a ruthless murderer must be tracked down nonetheless.

‘At the very core of it, I always want my readers to get a really good story,’ she says. Since Slaughter began writing, she’s been focused on introducing a different voice to stories about domestic violence, many of which are told through a predominantly male voice. ‘I wanted to bring a female perspective to it and talk about how complex it is. As great as men are at writing about some things, there’s just an undeniable perspective that women bring to this. And I’m proud that I’ve held to the choice to write about recovery and the kind of expectations that women tie themselves in knots over when they become victims of violence.’

Ahead of the release of her 20th book, Slaughter reflects on some of the best thrillers she’s ever read and why the authors and stories are deserving of their place at the top of her list.”

Follow the link at the top of the page to see Karin Slaughter’s full list!

Victoria Sanders
Karin Slaughter - New York Magazine "The (Truly) Waterproof Notepads a Crime Writer Uses to Craft Plots in the Shower"

New York Magazine | July 31, 2020

“At the beginning of my writing career, I bought all kinds of notebooks (from Moleskines to fancy journals with handmade paper) to keep handy for jotting down ideas, but none of them ever really worked for me. I always went back to using stray pieces of paper, hotel stationery, and the back of a CVS receipts. My one issue with those? They don’t really work when wet, which would seem like a weird complaint were it not for the fact that about 70 percent of my good ideas — including several of my book titles — have come to me while in the shower.

My father always taught me to make sure I have the right tools for every job, so whenever there’s a task to do, I look for the best, most efficient way to do it. I first found AquaNotes by doing a Google search for ‘notepads that can get wet.’ I’ve also used similar notepads from a company called Rite in the Rain, but the paper felt icky and it had a metal spiral binding and I’m not getting a tetanus shot for a notebook. The AquaNotes website’s testimonials had me rooting for the product before the shipment I ordered even arrived. The one that sold me read, ‘The writing stayed intact even when I … hit it hard with the shower hose!’”

Follow the link above to read the rest of this amazing article from Karin Slaughter!

Victoria Sanders
Patrisse Cullors - Vulture "Naomi Campbell Saying ‘I Think Things Are About to Change, Don’t You?’ Won Late Night This Week"

Vulture | July 31, 2020

“Speaking of things that deserve our collective attention, this week on The Daily Show, Trevor Noah devoted a segment to highlighting and celebrating Black women. In the latest installment of ‘If You Don’t Know, Now You Know,’ Noah detailed the history of the erasure of Black women as leaders of social-justice movements, from Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, and Mary Church Terrell in the women’s suffrage movement all the way to the Black Lives Matter movement founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors. The segment was such a great example of how whitewashed history is. I clearly remember learning about Susan B. Anthony (she’s on a coin) and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Seneca Falls Convention, let’s go) in grade school, but I absolutely didn’t hear the names Ida B. Wells or Mary Church Terrell uttered in an academic context until my junior year of college, and that is an example of academic misogynoir. Merci beaucoup to Trevor Noah et. al for educating the masses and centering Black women in the narrative, while also serving an incredible example of Black French New Wave Cinema.”

Follow the link above to read the full article.

Victoria Sanders