Crime by the Book | April 7, 2022

Is it just me, or have the first few months of 2022 flown by?! I can’t believe it’s already April—but here we are, and it’s time to talk about the incredible crop of new crime fiction that Spring 2022 has in store for us!! 2022 is already shaping up to be an outstanding year for new crime fiction (then again, when is it not a great year for new crime books!), and in today’s blog post, I’m shining a spotlight on my most-anticipated new crime books publishing in April and May 2022! Whether you’re in the market for a new detective novel, a twisty psychological thriller, a spine-tingling supernatural suspense novel, or just about anything in between, you’ll find it in this blog post. April and May 2022 will see the return of fan-favorite thriller writers including Sarah Pinborough, Tessa Wegert, and May Cobb, and they might just introduce you to some new-to-you voices, too! I’ve been lucky enough to read advance copies of many of the books on this list, and others are on my to-read list as soon as they publish. It’s going to be an incredible spring for new crime fiction, and I hope you’ll find a book (or two, or three!) to add to your to-read list in this blog post!

MY SUMMER DARLINGS by May Cobb • Available May 17, 2022

Looking for a spicy, sexy suspense novel to add to your TBR list this summer? I’d be willing to bet that May Cobb’s MY SUMMER DARLINGS will be your perfect read! I haven’t read this one yet, but based on how much I loved Cobb’s previous release THE HUNTING WIVES, it’s a safe bet that I’m going to devour MY SUMMER DARLINGS, too. Cobb has a knack for writing the kinds of characters I love best: “unlikeable” women, whose complexities, messiness, and inner darkness are explored in her writing to utterly riveting—and highly entertaining—end. I devoured Cobb’s novel THE HUNTING WIVES last summer and absolutely loved the juicy, dramatic, wildly-entertaining world she crafted in its pages, and I can’t wait to experience MY SUMMER DARLINGS! Now I just need to plan a vacation and clear my calendar—I have a feeling this is the kind of book I’ll want to experience poolside, with a cocktail in hand.

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Booklist | April 1, 2022

Broke and recently divorced, Jen has returned to her hometown of Cedartown, Texas, in part to reconnect with childhood friends Cynthia and Kittie, who seemingly lead perfect lives with their husbands, children, and great wealth. However, when handsome, mysterious Will Harding rolls into town in his vintage truck, all three women are attracted to him to the point of obsession. He identifies each one’s weak point and begins different types of relationships with each, manipulating while mesmerizing them and eventually leading his prey to betray one another and their families. After a shocking opening set in the present, the story unfolds in short chapters set in the recent past and alternating between the women’s points of view. Suspicion, jealousy, and anger erupt among the three friends as Will toys with their feelings in this dark tale of psychological suspense that will keep readers involved until it ends with a final twist and a violent confrontation.

ABC News | February 22, 2022

Chef Alexander Smalls shares his oxtail fried rice recipe.

Watch the video here.

The Southern Bookseller Review | February 17, 2022

The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Southern Book Prize (SBP). The Prize, representing Southern bookseller favorites from 2021, is awarded to “the best Southern book of the year” as nominated by Southern indie booksellers and voted on by their customers. Winners were chosen by popular vote from a ballot of finalists in fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Approximately 1500 ballots were cast making each Southern Book Prize winner a true Southern reader favorite.

This year’s winners are When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash in Fiction, Graceland, At Last by Margaret Renkl in Nonfiction, and Keep Your Head Up by Aliya King Neil and Charly Palmer (illus.) in Children’s. Winners receive a donation in their name to the charity or nonprofit of their choice.

“After twenty-years as a writer and author," said Aliya King Neil, "I published my first children’s book! What has made this process especially special is that it’s based on the true story of one of my students during my time as a teacher. When Denene Millner, Editorial Director of Denene Millner Books, chose to usher this book to life, I could not have felt more lucky. Children’s books have been a part of my life since the age of four and libraries and bookstores were always a constant treat. I hope Keep Your Head Up continues to inspire children like young D for many years to come.” She asked that her prize be donated to Conscious Kid in San Diego.

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Yes! Magazine | February 16, 2022

Patrisse Cullors’ new book offers guidance for personal, as well as systemic, change. Breaking the cycle of harm starts with us.

In her new book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World, Patrisse Cullors starts with courageous conversations. She says, “We have courageous conversations because our goal is to live inside of a healthy community that values the dignity of every single human being.” These conversations typically arise out of our lived experiences. They are conversations we have because we care. They are conversations that first start with us.

Like Cullors, I had one of my most formative courageous conversations with my mother. I wanted to know why child support was the reason my dad was in jail. I wanted to know what role each parent played in the process. I wanted to know what we could do to make things better. Unbeknownst to me, my mother had already decided that the costs of this punitive process far outweighed the benefits. She told the court she didn’t want court-ordered child support if this would be the outcome every time my father could not pay the full amount to my mother and my half-sister’s mother. Eventually, she told the court she didn’t want it at all. 

Through Cullors’ own story, she demonstrates how hard courageous conversations can be, especially with family, friends, other organizers, or elders in our communities. She points out that “Many of us, including myself, were taught in homes, places of worship, schools and many other institutions to hold back our words, not necessarily because someone explicitly told us to be secretive but rather because we witnessed all the adults around us who lacked the courage to be honest with themselves and others. This is not a judgment; it is an observation.” 

We replicate the behaviors around us. Challenging the status quo, even in conversation, even with our mothers, is hard and requires courage. To question deeply entrenched beliefs and values about each other and ourselves and to dismantle massive, violent systems requires tenacity and the readiness to understand the difference between responding to the world and reacting.

Follow the link above to learn more.

Variety | February 13, 2022

Black History Month has always been about abolition for me.

I may not have known the word abolition as a young girl, but I understood abolition in my spirit. At my core, I witnessed a community ravaged and decimated by police and prisons, and I wanted more for us. I would stay up for hours in my bed, imagining a world where all of my loved ones were treated well and loved on. When I read books or watched television shows and films, I rarely saw Black communities surrounded with care, dignity and love.

The last twenty years of my work have focused on changing the material conditions for communities most impacted by a system that did not value our lives. And now, the next twenty years of my work will be about implementing and supporting life-affirming abolitionist storytelling and institutions that can help shape a new world. I believe abolition can chart a new vision and a new reality for all industries.

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CBS Mornings | February 9, 2022

For Black History Month, "CBS Mornings" is celebrating trailblazers who became leaders in their field and helped change the course of history. Among the trailblazers are two groundbreaking chefs, Alexander Smalls and Kwame Onwuachi. They caught up recently at chef Alexander's New York City apartment to talk about their childhoods, careers and advice for young Black aspiring chefs.

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Free Speech TV | January 31, 2022

Democracy Now! speaks with Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors about her new book, “An Abolitionist’s Handbook,” which lays out her journey toward abolition and 12 principles activists can follow to practice abolition, which she describes as the elimination of police, prisons, jails, surveillance, and the current court system.

“We have to imagine what we would do with these dollars, with these budgets, and they have to really be an imagination that’s grounded in care,” says Cullors. She also speaks about her community organizing in Los Angeles, which fought $3.5 billion worth of jail expansion, and her multi-year contract with Warner Bros. Television Group to create original storytelling content around abolition.

Follow the link above to learn more.

Democracy Now! | January 31, 2022

We speak with Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors about her new book, “An Abolitionist’s Handbook,” which lays out her journey toward abolition and 12 principles activists can follow to practice abolition, which she describes as the elimination of police, prisons, jails, surveillance and the current court system. “We have to imagine what we would do with these dollars, with these budgets, and they have to really be an imagination that’s grounded in care,” says Cullors. She also speaks about her community organizing in Los Angeles, which fought $3.5 billion worth of jail expansion, and her multi-year contract with Warner Bros. Television Group to create original storytelling content around abolition.

Follow the link above to learn more.

Dazed | January 26, 2022

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, discusses her new book An Abolitionist’s Handbook

“These 12 principles or steps are about goal setting. They are about understanding who you are and how to bring the idea of abolition to the forefront in your life and in the lives of others,” writes Patrisse Cullors in An Abolitionist’s Handbook.

Cullors is a New York Times bestselling author, educator, artist and abolitionist from Los Angeles, as well as co-founder and former Executive Director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. In her latest book, Cullors outlines how abolition became part of her day-to-day life and how you can do the same. The book is filled with personal anecdotes of Cullors navigating her way through America, how the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement informed her work, the struggles she experienced – such as daily death threats and doxxing – and the people she met along the way. It contains instructions on how to practice accountability, unlearn toxic behaviours, build intentional abolitionist communities and, of course, dismantle the prison industrial system.

Here, Cullors chats to Dazed about what abolition means to her, how we can allow space to make the process a joyful one, and how we can push the movement forward here in the UK. 

Follow the link above to learn more.

PEN America | January 26, 2022

PEN America is honored to announce the Longlists for the 2022 Literary Awards. Our Awards are juried by panels of esteemed, award-winning authors, editors, translators, and critics. These authors are committed to recognizing their contemporaries, from promising debut writers to those who have had a continuous, lasting impact on the literary landscape. You can learn more about the 2022 Judges PEN America Literary Awards judges here.

The 2022 Literary Awards will confer over $350,000 to writers and translators. Spanning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, essay, science writing, translation, and more, these Longlisted books are dynamic, diverse, and thought-provoking examples of literary excellence.

Finalists for all Book Awards will be announced in January 2022. Stay tuned for more.

PEN/Jean Stein Book Award ($75,000)

To a book-length work of any genre for its originality, merit, and impact, which has broken new ground by reshaping the boundaries of its form and signaling strong potential for lasting influence.

Judges: Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Angie Cruz, Maurice Manning, Steph Opitz

The President and The Frog, Carolina De Robertis (Knopf)

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Self | January 25, 2022

Patrisse Cullors was effecting change in her hometown of Los Angeles long before she became internationally known as a Black Lives Matter cofounder. As an L.A. native, Cullors led multiple nonprofit organizations, including Dignity and Power Now, JusticeLA, and Reform L.A. Jails. In 2013 she and fellow organizers Alicia Garza and Ayọ Tometi created the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag after George Zimmerman was acquitted on all charges for the killing of Black teenager Trayvon Martin. In 2014, as protests spread across the U.S. in the wake of the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, the movement became the international campaign we know today.

In 2020, Cullors was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people and inked an overall production deal with Warner Bros. Studios. Last year she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Her latest book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World (out January 25), leans on her 20-plus years as an activist and organizer to offer sage advice for fellow changemakers.

Here, the 38-year-old activist shares some inspiring, practical advice with SELF on how to make a difference in the world—by starting with ourselves.

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BNC News | January 24, 2022

While many social justice advocates work within the established social structures to achieve gradual change, there are others who dare to advocate for a completely reimagined and radically different system all together. Penned by the co-founder and former executive director of Black Lives Matter movement Patrisse Cullors, “An Abolitionist’s Handbook” offers relatable teachings on the history of abolition and how it can be used in people’s lives as a source of collective care. She asks people to lead with love, fierce compassion and precision.

Follow the link above to learn more.

Hot 97 | January 24, 2022

Activist Patrisse Cullors sits down with Ebro, Laura Stylez, & Rosenberg to challenge our understanding of care, breaking down how to change culture in the world, and how to share the ideas and have dialog with those who don’t believe.

Her book: An Abolitionist’s Handbook 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World is available Jan 25!

Follow the link above to learn more.

Jemele Hill is Unbothered | January 24, 2022

Activist and artist Patrisse Cullors joins Jemele to discuss her departure from Black Lives Matter, the movement she co-founded in 2013. Patrisse shares how the constant barrage of right-wing attacks impacted her mental health, how she’s handled death threats and criticism from others within the black community. Patrisse also discusses her latest book, “An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World.”

Listen to the podcast on Spotify

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The Hollywood Reporter | January 22, 2022

Author of a new book on how to be a modern-day abolitionist, the L.A. native talks about how far-right attacks on her finances last year were attempts to "get me killed," how her stance on activism has shifted and the projects she has planned under her overall deal with Warner Bros.

There are few people in Los Angeles who straddle the worlds of political activism, Hollywood and art the way Patrisse Cullors does. A co-founder of Black Lives Matter — the movement that arose following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in 2013, after he killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin a year earlier — she went on to write a best-selling 2018 memoir, When They Call You a Terrorist, in 2018. “That was the height of when Black Lives Matter was being called a terrorist organization,” she says. Cullors also became a writer on the Freeform show Good Trouble that led to an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV Group in late 2020. That same year, Cullors — through her work as an artist, she has presented performance pieces at the Broad and Hammer museums — co-opened an art gallery, Crenshaw Dairy Mart, in a former convenience store in Inglewood.

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Grub Street | January 21, 2022

Over the course of his 28-year-long career the chef, cookbook author, and former opera singer Alexander Smalls has opened a string of Manhattan restaurants, starting with Café Beulah in 1994, that served what he called Southern-revival cooking. In 2013, he debuted the Cecil and a revamped Minton’s, the historic mid-century jazz club. (He is no longer involved in either.) Now, he’s busy with his most ambitious project: a string of African food halls called Alkebulan, including one in Harlem. For Smalls, hosting is what it’s all about. “That’s all a boy wants is a dinner party,” he says. “The rest of it, it’s a lot to go through just to host some people for dinner. But hey, we all have our ways to get there.”

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Dear Culture Podcast | January 20, 2021

Dear Culture, What does it mean to be an abolitionist? This week on the Dear Culture Podcast our hosts, Gerren Keith Gaynor and Shana Pinnock talk with Artist, Abolitionist and Black Lives Matter Co-Founder, Patrisse Cullors about her new book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and The World.

Follow the link above to learn more.

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