Why I hired an assistant as a debut author.

I guess I’ve been teasing this one since several people have asked me on rotation, “Did you write that piece about hiring an assistant?” Well, I had not, but here it is! 

As you may know, and which I will not hesitate to repeat, 2023 was my debut year for my young adult novel, Forgive Me Not. I had edited an anthology that was released in 2018, but that was and was not the same. I felt like a Mama Bear with Everyday People, whereas I felt like a one-woman enterprise for Forgive Me Not. Hell, it took me 8 years to write the book, no way was I letting this moment pass by in a blur. I took what I learned from Everyday People as well as advice & thoughts from authors who were kind enough to speak to me directly or on my podcast. I blended this up along with my own publishing experience, and decided to roll with it as my pub date was finalized. 

Two things stood at the forefront as I tried to get sorted a year ahead of pub date: (1) I needed help not just with the book stuff, and (2) I didn’t know if a freelance publicist would be the best way to go for me due to #1. I did speak to a few publicists and one even said to me, “I don’t know that I’d do more than your publisher would do for you.” My desire was to get support from someone who would tap into, yet go beyond, book-specific media spaces or opportunities. The several people I spoke with didn’t seem a fit or in one case was well-booked when I circled back, and in another case, if I’m being honest, didn’t express interest in my book at all and took a call as a “favor.” Which really didn’t sit well with me.

Let’s take a beat to reflect on that last sentence, shall we? Lack of (freelance) publicity interest is also something I experienced for Everyday People. I conducted rounds of calls with folx who clearly weren’t into the themes of the book. Which is totally fine. Same as with any partnership, you want to make sure they are a fit for you and vice versa. But me being me, and being a woman of a certain age at this point in my life, to an extent I can appreciate a polite openness to take a call or a consult because this is part of the business. At the same time, I do wonder how everyone’s time may be better spent when it’s clear someone may not have the time or be aligned with the content, and this being said upfront? Don’t @ me, y’all, I’m just asking questions! 

Anywho, mulling on those meetings and the fact that I also did need support for my podcast self—which I was struggling to maintain in 2023 with a new full-time job, freelance projects, and teaching—I decided it’d be best to hire an assistant to collaborate on my ideas alongside my “brand” (it’s so weird for me to say that). 

The Assistant Search & The Role

My pub date was set for mid-August 2023. In mid-April, I put out a call on the interwebs. Facebook was where I received several viable candidate recommendations. I only had the capacity to speak with 5 people total. All wonderful people, but ultimately I hired someone who was in grad school, local, had an open schedule and a deep interest in kidlit, particularly YA, and was well-read in that genre. Plus, she was eager to pursue a full-time career in publishing, specifically editorial. This was all helpful because I didn’t have to explain as much and everything they’d learn would be transferable in some ways to a desired FT pub job. As I considered the people I’d spoken with and what I also had bandwidth for, one friend said to me, “Jenn, I think you may want to also mentor someone.” The person I hired started in early May and a new person transitioned into the role in late September. 

Here’s the gist of what I asked both assistants to help me with from May 2023-February 2024: 

• Promotions Support

• Copied on all correspondence with my publisher to help receive promotions & other requests and help review items, where necessary

• Researching and pitching to relevant media & festivals – My assistant scored me an interview on Pod Save the People, which was nicely done! 

• Created a media kit

• Created a postcard design and put in a print order for distribution at events 

• General Administrative Tasks 

• Organizing media received into a spreadsheet, collating all media links, updating book’s web page where necessary 

• Creating a spreadsheet of festivals in the Northeast for pitching/submissions 

• Podcast Help

• Reviewing transcriptions for posting

• Hired someone to redo podcast logo for 10th anniversary 

• Communications - Main contact on all things book related. Attended some in-person events and took photos/video  

• (Light) Social Media - I handled all my personal social media and when I needed more of this for the podcast post-pub, which wasn’t of interest and not part of the job upfront. I would say, if you do need social media help, hire someone who loves doing this and can help make a content calendar to start.  

I paid $30/hour at 15 hours a week max, the hourly rate was negotiable based on experience. I also covered costs for local travels to events, say a visit to my publisher to do a video or for a local festival, and we met virtually every week, if not every other week, to go over ideas and actions. (If they traveled for something I asked them to invoice another hour to cover food or I paid for the meal.) The assistant set their own hours, which were usually during the day and we had a formal contract for a specific amount of time that was open to extension by agreement from both parties. I also set up their own email account, which I did not have access to during their tenure. This way they could work freely and keep this role separate from their personal account. (Once each person departed, I was given the password and security login to be able to share with the next assistant as well as have access to files they created.)  

In terms of costs out of pocket, both assistants came under the hourly cap (of 15 hours) every week. Overall, I compensated both assistants no more than $6,000 for 9-10 months of contracted work.

Should I hire a (book) publicist? 

As an author, well as a person, consider what you need. Is it solely publicity contacts & media visibility if it happens that your publisher won’t be able to do this for your book? Kathleen Schmidt notes things to consider when hiring a publicist on her substack. (Poets & Writers also has some good posts on publicity, but these are subscription based.) Consults may be free or there may be a fee, this is their time too, so account for that and have your Qs ready. Also, know your budget upfront. As others have written, the price of a freelance publicist can cost thousands of dollars for a span of a few months depending on their campaign lengths. Yes, I said thousands, and so did Kathleen. And that’s just publicity. Publicity is the media, we’re not even talking marketing, which is different. If you want to work with someone who can do both or specialists in either area, we’re talking money.

Do I want to brand myself?

If so, that may well be a different type of PR person (or agency), not a book publicist, per se, but someone who understands more about personal or business brand management/strategy. And in the case of “brands” they may also have some social media/design capabilities as well. 

But, if you’re thinking “outside the box” and want to go beyond book specific media/placement, I’d encourage you to ask a publicist, or anyone, if they can do this and what that entails, especially in relation to the content of your book. Currently, I’m meeting with people for administrative support now that my paperback is out. My main asks this time include research, partnerships, pitching, and social media planning. I am paying more per hour ($35-40) based on experience. And I still only have bandwidth to talk with 3-4 people for consideration despite many wonderful resumes sent my way.  

From Forgive Me Not’s hardcover pub date to now, it was very important to me that more social justice spaces engage with this book where applicable and, of course, young readers who are at the center. Publishers may or may not be able to do this when we dig into specific content. A mission-based publisher may already have this as part of their strategy. Everyone has their own set of contacts that may or may not overlap from your book publicist to a freelance publicist. Which is why it was very helpful that one publicist said to me that she didn’t know if she’d help me in the ways I wanted and conveyed that she had similar contacts to my publisher. I deeply appreciated her honesty. 

In the end…

The biggest benefits of hiring an assistant for me was simply having help. There were so many things on my list I needed someone who understood how each task was helping set up my whole “brand” (still not used to saying that) as well as providing them a front-seat view of how the publication process worked. On top of that both assistants read my book and told me they enjoyed it. What was so nice is their moms also purchased my book because they were excited their offspring was working in “the biz.” 

If you’re hiring anyone to help you, be it for book-related stuff or not, deeply reflect on what would be of most help to you. Sometimes this becomes more apparent post-hire or earlier on in the interview process as you hear more about their background and expertise/interests. Make a list of what you’d like to take off your plate and what you’d like to compensate someone to aid with. We outsource a lot already, but if you can also make this a role that aids someone eager to get into, or interested in, the same industry this can be a win-win for both parties. If you need help with emails or travel arrangements, add that to the list, and be specific on security of funds. If you need help with researching places to pitch, add that. And make sure you’re upfront about what this would be as I was. (Both assistants knew one would be helping more pre-pub and the other post-pub.) Also, feel free to ask what others have needed when they hired assistants for specific areas of their life/work. 

Some other practical and maybe obvious things? 

• Have a contract that outlines all the things: payment structure/rates, duties, timeframe of work, confidentiality, responsibilities between both parties, and termination. (My contract clearly states both parties can terminate at any time and there’s a confidentiality clause in terms of sharing any of my work they have access to.)

• Also, be clear on goals as well as performance. How will you let someone go if things don’t work out?  

• Be prepared to send a 1099-NEC in January to ensure they have a tax record and you do as well—hiring NEC is considered a tax write-off for you in terms of your business as an author. (You will need their SSN or EIN and mailing address.) 

• Estimate & budget how long you’d want someone to be on board. If you want to reup, do so (add that as a clause)! That way if you have 2 months and find you’re vibing, extend for longer. But again, be clear on what this will look like, how you’ve set them up to help you, and how frequently you’ll need support.

Okay, that was a lengthy, but I hope helpful post! 

PS: I’d like to post more regularly this year about things that would be helpful to you! If you have a question I may be able to help with, lemme know in the comments. 

Fave Reads of 2022 (#Bestof2022)

Welp, I started many books but didn’t finish a ton. And I read many manuscripts so I can say with confidence there are so many good books coming out soon! I’m really hoping 2023 is the year I get back into the full swing of reading (and finishing) books so I can get back to my 50 book a year minimum.

Of the titles I did read this year there were most definitely standouts and those I’m still finishing as we flipped the calendar. Here’s a handful of goodness I hope you may take a look at because they’re definitely worthwhile!

Lone Women by Victor LaValle (2023): Masterclass, I tell you. Master. Class in pacing, story building, suspense, description. All of it. LaValle’s sentences are tight and his chapters even tighter. There’s so much tension carried throughout and there’s a payoff of retribution in many ways. The writing is stellar, as we’ve all come to expect from LaValle and I simply can’t get over how much was packed into these short chapters! Between this and All the Light We Cannot See I’m like “How do y’all do this?!” Anywho, this is a goody and I was super glad that I got a sneak peak. Make sure to pre-order!

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes (2019): I read Grimes’ memoir in verse while on a retreat to finish my book at Highlights. I happened to be in the cabin named after this literary legend and so had the treat of many of her books being available on the shelves. Grimes’ is able to really balance some heavy moments with so much levity and ends on a beautiful note of when she finds her voice as a poet/writer. I think this was such an expertly handled memoir in general let alone one designed for young readers.

A Career in Books written & illustrated by Kate Gavino (2022): Make sure to check out my interview with Kate on the MiP podcast (episode 120). If you have been thinking about getting into the editorial side of publishing or currently are, especially as a recent grad, then this book is for you! (It’s for everyone, but you’ll for sure relate when you delve in if you know the biz.) Three gals from AAPI backgrounds and besties to the end set out for their dream jobs in publishing, or is this their dream job? There are challenges for each, yet the biggest connector is friendship—and eats!

Rivermouth by Alejandra Oliva (2023): I admittedly got a chance to see an early version of this one and I will happily proclaim that Oliva’s debut memoir and exploration of immigration is fantastic. The lyricism, the structure, the focus. This is amazing! If you’ve had the pleasure of reading Oliva’s essays you’ll see how confident and assured her voice is, which for this upcoming narrative (and narratives within) is truly a testament to how we can look inward and outward and brilliantly weave the complications of it all. Make sure to preorder!

And I also very much recommend The Furrows, the second novel by one of my fave contemporary writers Namwali Serpell!

Fave Reads of 2019 (#Bestof2019)

It’s that time of year again folks! I got my act together to actually get this (and last year’s list) posted in a timely manner. How lovely is that?

This was a busy reading year and, somewhat regrettably, I have not always had time to read for pleasure. Much was work-related (not a bad thing at all!), but it does put more of the titles I’m eager to read and support (with ratings, since I bought most of them and they’ve been lounging in my stacks) soon after publication. But what matters is the journey not the time right? (Or so I keep telling myself.)

I read a bit more poetry this year but still would like to get it full on up to about one-quarter, at least, of the books I read for the year. Nicole Sealey’s August Poetry challenge almost helped with that but I had to bow out for more (you guessed it) work-related reading. Much of which was divine and you’ll find listed below. How much did you read for 2019? What are you stoked for in 2020? I’ve read one or two coming out next year so it’s going to be a stupendous time for books (and political anarchy which may also be in book form!).

Cuicacalli/House of Song by ire’ne lara silva (2019): When I say this poetry collection packed a punch I mean it. I heard Silva recite some of the poems in Cuicacalli at a festival in Texas we were a part of. So enamored I bought the book and it took a month for me to read it. In transit I found myself so in awe I had to immediately post my admiration for this title. As I said on Goodreads these poems cut deep because of the sharpness of the words Silva uses. Survival. Family. Loss. Love. Identity. This is a collection I teach for a reason. Women especially and those who have experienced grief in various iterations can truly feel how Silva captures this and lays you down gently after. SO good!

I’m Telling the Truth But I’m Lying by Bassey Ikpi (2019): Been a big debut year! And that includes Bassey Ikpi’s I’m Telling the Truth, which hit the NYT bestseller list deservedly. Ikpi’s background as a poet really does make this standout in the rhythm and cadence she builds. There’s momentum in these essays as well as a rawness to letting others see that bipolar disorder is not easily described. She puts you in her body so you can see why this feels frantic and uncontrollable…because it is. If you haven’t read this one I encourage you to do so, and take your time with it.

Ordinary Girls: Memoir by Jaquira Diaz (2019): Diaz’s debut memoir was much lauded before it even hit shelves. This is because Diaz’s essays have been making a mark for the impactful writing she’s built. As she said it’s a story she had to get out of her because it kept resurfacing and to be this brutally honest in nonfiction is no easy feat (also see Ikpi’s book above). Diaz’s work is to be applauded as well as her candidness in the telling.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (2019): National Book Award finalist Pet is truly unique. Angels and demons? Creatures born from blood and paint? BFFs forever? Count me in for all of this! Emezi and I had spoken about the importance of friendships in stories, especially for young readers, and how that’s often not showcased. This is a big part of Pet (as well as New Kid and Watch Us Rise) which I think is why I took to these titles so much. Wanting to be good and do good and protect those we love is inherent, who couldn’t relate to that? In Pet, Emezi raises the stakes yet never loses the emotional impact.

Dominicana by Angie Cruz (2019): A much hyped book online, offline, and on TV—hey GMA Book Club—Angie Cruz’s latest novel takes you through many emotions as Ana’s journey is not only across land and sea, but internal when she experiences marriage and love (not necessarily with the same person), the harshness of responsibility, and the toll of immigration. This is not a preachy novel at all, it’s a completely immersive one. I couldn’t put it down so I dare you to once you pick it up.

Heed the Hollow by Malcolm Tariq (2019): I happened to pick up Tariq’s debut at a BEA party; I am so glad I did. Blackness, queerness, masculinity, and so much more is encapsulated in this collection. It’s been put in comparison with Jericho Brown and Danez Smith, but Tariq really does hold his own as those poets do as well. Savor this one as it’s meant to be savored.

When Aidan Became a Brother written by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (2019): I don’t put picture books on my lists enough, but I read several a year. This book was one I bought several copies of: one for myself and others for those I knew with little ones! The story is so lovely and deep. It’s the perfect way to introduce kids to understanding not to make assumptions and to allow children to be themselves without judgment or dismissal. I loved the family dynamic of how everyone learned together. A HUGE fave and a BIG recommendation.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (2016): Yes, I am late to the Newbery party on this one. I had it in my stacks for a bit and am so glad I took a moment to read it. I loved Barnhill’s style in this one, how she went about narration, how she didn’t hold back in the difficulties of raising a child with (unlimited) powers, and the lengths that people in power will go to stay in power. At heart it’s a story about love in all ways and that pierces through the whole plot. I adored this book and it deserved the Newbery honor.

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (2019): I read several romance books for a Publishers Weekly feature earlier this year and McQuiston’s debut, along with another listed below, were my FAVES! McQuiston’s is truly a rom-com through and through hitting all the notes with an initial love-hate turned love-love relationship between the First Son of the US and a Prince of England. Hijinks ensue when they’re thrust together for a PR conciliation tour and wow does this become one of the most heartwarming, funny, and deep romances I’ve had the opportunity to read. I need to get back into the genre. This one has been well hyped for a reason and I was one of those cheering it on.

Magical Negro by Morgan Parker (2019): I really really enjoyed Parker’s latest collection. The title alone had me sold but then I read it and woooo this is some deep stuff. Too much to encapsulate in the amount of space I have in this post. What I will say is she pulls no punches and holds nothing back. Her work not only fresh air but freshness. Don’t believe me? Read it for yourself.

Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud (2019): I read a bit of romance because I also got to read it for the Publishers Weekly feature on royal romance. I ended up gobbling it up in one evening because I just had to know how this would end. The coupling is great. The Black girl independence and her being desirable—by a prince by the way—is refreshing! The main character has goals, social justice goals! She doesn’t need a man but dagnabbit if she doesn’t deserve to be treated well. This is the type of book I want more young Black girls to read and I think Rigaud did an amazing job showcasing this.

The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell (2019): The Old Drift is one of the longest books I read this year and it’s worth it! What Serpell does is take us from dark times to dark times spanning a couple centuries. There are no boundaries and reality includes folklore that works incredibly well in the world she divined. Speaking to her more about putting Zambia at the forefront of a historical, contemporary, and futurist story it feels like parts of Africa should inherently be part of every futurism read.

New Kid by Jerry Craft (2019): I was lucky to get an advance copy of Jerry Craft’s latest book and it’s one of my faves this year for a reason: plenty of heart and humor which isn’t always easy to balance period, especially for young readers. Jerry mentioned he actively wanted to make something lighthearted that also spoke to what Black kids deal with when you’re “out of your element.” If you’re from NYC many of these jokes will land extra hard. I recommend this one to everyone’s kids! It’s been wracking up some great praise.

How to Sit by Tyrese Coleman (2018): As I said on Twitter I am upset I didn’t get to read this book when it first came out. A PEN Award finalist, deservedly, Coleman’s debut mixture of stories and essays (you don’t know which is which) is fascinating, relatable, and expertly crafted, as well as succinct! It’s a great study in how to play with form and subject. Add this to your shelves!

Severance by Ling Ma (2018): Ling Ma’s debut was one of the first books I’d read in 2019. I’d heard so much about it and usually when that happens I hedge on whether it’s really as good as everyone says—at least in my opinion. Turns out it was! Zombies or at least an apocalypse are my jam and the subtlety in this one was great. Not to mention the main character is a production editor, like myself, so I totally fell into the details of her mundane life while the world was actively going to hell. Don’t expect blood & gore but do expect to be creeped out.

Homie by Danez Smith (2020): As I keep saying, who knew I’d love a poem about trees?!? Smith’s latest quantifies them as a poet of multitudes! Language, geography, identity is all revealed throughout poems of relationships and growth, looking at the past and experiencing the present. These are sounding boards for deep observations along with clear dedications to the beauty of so much that encapsulates Blackness. The collection’s “real” name is My Nig, but out of respect, please refer to this as Homie and Homie alone.

Books I also thoroughly enjoyed this year include: Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan’s Watch Us Rise, Rion Amilcar Scott’s new collection The World Doesn’t Require You, Crystal Hana Kim’s If You Leave Me, Morgan Parker’s debut YA Who Put This Song On?, Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by TKira Madden, and Diversity Inc. by Pamela Newkirk.

Fave Reads of 2018 (#Bestof2018)

Well, this has been in my queue for a good year so I guess no better time then the present. I had said the only reliable post I do for my blog is an annual reading one and apparently that’s a big ole lie. Or at least it was the year an anthology I edited was published (which is quite good if I say so myself). Anywho, here you have it! Of the 60 books I read in 2018 there was a lot of fiction and nonfiction and, sadly, not as much poetry. So once again I made a vow for the upcoming year to read more poetry (spoiler: I do read more!).

Here they are in no particular order. You may have read many of these already, and I’ll note that not all were published in 2018 (a couple pubbed in 2019 and I had access thanks to ARCs).

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (2019) - This was my first foray into Oyeyemi’s writing and may I say it is wonderful! Her writing! Her characters! Her/Their wit! Just so freaking good. I found myself laughing out loud and staying up late (since I wasn’t able to sleep in Marrakech). When I got a chance to speak to her about this book I found Oyeyemi to be increasingly personable and kind. So yeah I’ll be reading ALL her books. She has another one on the horizon in a couple years.

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob (2019) - One of the best books of 2019 (you’ll see the lists) and it’s completely warranted. Whenever I discuss this book with anyone they are hands down enamored with the execution and also relating to the tangible ways Jacobs conveys a lot of emotions that conflict and also combine to make us human and, hopefully, more aware. Such an essential work and I hope it continues to get as many accolades as it deserves. I was so glad to speak to her about this book pre-pub. Also give it as gifts this holiday season! Lord knows it’ll help or at least serve as an entrypoint for some tough conversations.

Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018) - I was gifted a copy and the opportunity to hear Obama speak at Barclay’s end of 2018 so I’ll just say I was smitten! Ghostwriter or not this sounds like Michelle Obama from the first to the last page. Her experience and the weight of it, the way she and Barack Obama first met, her trajectory as wife, mother, and soon First Lady. Wow. We get to see her as her and it’s a gift to do so.

Can We All Be Feminists? edited by June Eric-Udorie (2018) - I ended up loving this collection and the thought/care Eric-Udorie put behind it as an editor. She and I also spoke about editing an anthology and doing one around feminism in a time when it feels like the interwebs constantly discusses feminism in ways that are helpful (and hurtful) is a huge task. It is not easy at all. And Eric-Udorie adds a lot of elements of dissection, privilege, and awareness throughout of what we need to be thinking of when it comes to intersectional feminism, not solely feminism. Highly recommend this one to all.

Forget It by Anastascia-Renée  (2017) - Poetry! I had the pleasure of meeting Anastascia-Renée during a tour stop in Seattle where she hosted and I got her book which is WOW. Incisive and so damn insightful when it comes to the growth of self beyond relationships as well as in the midst of a break up. This is the book I recommend to those going through a hard time or having gone through it to feel that kinship. That’s what the best books do.

Saga Volumes 8 & 9 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2017 & 2018) - All I have to say is GODDAMN it how could it end like this and then go on hiatus??? HOW DARE THEY! That is all…for now.

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life: Essays by Samantha Irby (2017) - I’m mad I waited to read this one. It was a splurge by at my local indie since I had heard so much and really wanted some humor in my life. I usually don’t love humor books but I loved this one! Funny and not saccharine sweet. Irby gets real to the point her and her feline get into it even as it says it’s goodbye. Irby has more to come in 2020 so buckle up y’all.

Junk by Tommy Pico (2018) - Hearing Pico read this in-person is its own experience. One I highly recommend. Reading it yourself, with Pico’s voice ringing in your head, is also beneficial to absorb how relationships, sense of self, and junk it’s most tangible form are part of our lives always. His trilogy ended this year with FEED (so I am gonna make a plan to read/re-read these all in one to get the full effect).

Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (2018) - Laymon’s most personal book to date is mostly in 2nd person and it works to really get you in there. The heaviness of Heavy exudes the many facets of what we carry with us and how over time. It’s hard to sum a book up like this beyond saying it’s crucial reading and something you don’t forget. You cannot, and hopefully in the analysis and remembrance we grow as people to learn more about those around us and ourselves. Kiese and I also had a heavy (no pun intended) convo about this book and writing “truth.”

The Reckonings by Lacy M. Johnson (2018) - The titular essay is what got me seeking this book out. I heard Johnson read it at a conference and I immediately knew I had to read this all. Privilege, justice, feminism are all thematic elements but Reckonings is so much more than the idea of themes, it’s about what’s affecting people and how. We can all relate to the material and there are hard things to hear within these essays, it’s all essential and it’s all candid and beautifully written. I cannot recommend this book enough. You can read me gush a bit about it in an interview with Lacy last year.

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore (2018) - I got the chance to read Moore’s book twice for conversations last fall and it’s even better on the re-read! The ways Moore ties in an intraracial story with speculative elements, slavery, and the how privilege (there’s that word again) comes into play in and out of cultures is expansive and really detailed. The stories come together in ways that are not predictable and you want to continue this journey with everyone far beyond the ending.

Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodriguez (2018) - Viva la short story! A finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Prize earlier this year I am a huge fan of Rodriguez’s debut collection. I mean wowza, the range in voices, perspectives, and scope. Love War Stories really does have love as the thruline in all it’s iterations from the beauty of it to the pain and fear that comes with it. I heartily recommend this collection to all. One of the best of 2018.

Maid by Stephanie Land (2019) - Land’s memoir would become a NYT best seller at the very beginning of 2019 and deservedly so. It’s a close-up view to poverty that not a lot of people know about. Myself included in these days. The ways that the system really screws you and how poverty is defined by state/federal levels. People are struggling even when employed, so let’s look more at our systems and less at the people just trying to make it day by day.

Black No More by George S. Schuyler (reissued 2018) - Bring on the satire! I had not read Schuyler before and actually assigned this book as part of a Harlem Renaissance reading group I lead this fall because it' deserves to be read/discussed! It goes there in a way that definitely has a definitive mission and, at the same time, has a lot to say about race relations and the ways in which Black people navigate the world of privilege and the ways in which power and hierarchy are always present even when we’re “on the same playing field.”

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) - I’m late to reading this Pulitzer Prize winner but the writing itself is so intricate and so spare. Some chapters are as short as one page and not a detail as lost! I do not know a lot about WWII beyond the perfunctory teachings from school. But this world that he provides and the people encapsulated within a true tragedy bridges something really necessary in seeing/feeling details and recognizing how much was lost.

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai (2015) - I teach this book as much as I can because the voice is tremendous! So funny! So sweet! So snarky! I love it! A trip to Vietnam brings about a lot of family discoveries, not necessarily secrets but an appreciation for history and culture that the protagonist learns being a privileged American and not knowing enough about their heritage and how much it means to her gram who is on a journey for some answers post-war.

You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino (2018) - You may notice a trend in me admiring these books around privilege but that doesn’t mean they’re heavily “message-y”. Gino’s Jilly P! is fun, sweet, and humorous as well as serious when it counts. Jilly has a lot to learn, as does her family. With a new baby on the way who is hearing impaired Gino wants to look at race and ableism and ally-ship for middle graders. This is just the book that doesn’t talk down to them because it’s constantly engaging them.

Tradition by Brendan Kiely (2018) - So happy to read the latest from Kiely which looks at privilege in a boarding school from a place of patriarchy and financial status among other things. I love how Kiely approaches privilege from two perspectives and how he doesn’t dismiss those who helped people learn along the way. This is a story that doesn’t sugarcoat how the world works, sadly. So expect some real honesty here, and that’s something young people need.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018) - The Poet X pretty much won every award there was to win in 2018 to 2019 (including the first POC to win a Carnegie Medal for Children’s Lit). Acevedo’s debut really stems from the personal connection and the lyrical style (it’s a novel-in-verse) and because poetry is her home base as a slam poet it certainly carries the strength and power within each poem to have us totally engrossed in Xiomara’s life and wants and struggles as a teen. It feels urgent because it is.

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah (2017) - Wow. Stunning. Arimah’s debut collection, as she mentioned at a writer’s conference, is actually very feminist and reading it with that broadened awareness helped me see the limitations I, and others, may put on the scope of work that is conscious socially and politically. There are speculative elements to some stories and much of it is contemporary. From hair babies to family discord this is a collection I consistently recommend to folks and one I want to emulate in it’s poignancy.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde (reissued 2007) - Got to read this for a convo with the great Min Jin Lee and what a collection! I needed this book as an undergraduate and wish I had read it several times over in my 20s to my 30s. But now is as good a time as any to get into some Audre Lorde. Re-read her as often as you can!

Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller (2018) - This was such a fun picture book and I’m so glad I got an advance readers copy. The journey is really well rendered for young people and my co-worker’s, now 5 year old son, loves this book! It helps teach kids about boundaries and I love Miller’s approach to doing so as a little girl wants people to stop touching her hair.

Other titles I very much enjoyed in 2018 include: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée  Watson, Pride by Ibi Zoboi, A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley, and For Every One by Jason Reynolds.

Spoken Black Girl Mag's #BlackVoices in Publishing Panel

Yesterday evening I had the pleasure to be part of the first Spoken Black Girl magazine Black Voices in Publishing Panel at Civic Hall. We had a great time and it was livestreamed on Facebook (see the Source link below)! I have come to learn that I use many many hand gestures when I speak. Never have to worry about that on my podcast, so we learned something.

Anywho, thanks to all involved especially Tamika for doing the AV, Rowana for organizing, Driadonna and Raquel for being brilliant and all who attended. Hope to see more of these to come to encourage PoCs in publishing!