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Meet Jordan Tate, author of Messe Noire
What inspires you to write? I first became aware I wanted to be an artist when I was about six years old. My father had shown me the 1976 version of King Kong with Jessica Lange, and this film had a huge impact on me. My father was a huge cinema lover, so thanks to him…
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Paul McCracken, author of Where Crows Land
What inspires you to write? Music can play a big part in finding inspiration. With certain songs or instrumentals, I am able to create a kind of trailer for the story in my head and how I would see it play out. It also helps to set the mood and tone when getting into the…
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Afrofuturism, Black Historical Romance, and more…
Page refresh: how the internet is transforming the novel (The Guardian) Towards the end of 2020, a year spent supine on my sofa consuming endless internet like a force-fed goose, I managed to finish a beautifully written debut novel: Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, which comes out next month. And yet despite the entrancing descriptions, I could…
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Where Crows Land, by Paul McCracken
This gripping thriller is set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and chronicles the dramatic events when a former detective, Joseph Carter, sets out to gain redemption from the consequences of an old case that cost him everything. Carter is still haunted by the murders of his niece and brother-in-law at the hands of a serial killer…
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Ashley Amber, author of The Flip Side of Sad
When did you first consider yourself a writer? In 9th grade when I turned in a short story I’d written for an English assignment and the teacher called me over after class to say I belonged in AP English. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a hobby. What are some day jobs you have…
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B.Y.O.B. Conversations with Berneta and Lornett, Ep. 1
So here’s some news you probably weren’t expecting: I’m officially launching a video series with my co-author, Lornett Vestal! During every episode of B.Y.O.B. Conversations with Berneta and Lornett, we will pretend to be sophisticated authors as we sip from fancy champagne flutes and discuss an interesting question related to our new book series, Faders…
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Meet Stephen Vizinczey, author of 3 Wishes
Recently, I sat down with prolific and long-time author, Stephen Vizinczey, to discuss his current novel titled 3 Wishes. Born in 1933 in Hungary, Stephen was two years old when his father was assassinated by the Nazis. During his student years, he wrote poems and plays. In 1965, he quit his job, borrowed money to…
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7 Black-Owned Bookstores to Check Out During #BlackHistoryMonth
Looking for a way to support black authors AND black bookstores during this #BlackHistory month? Here are some black-owned bookstores from around the United States. Each one has an expansive and interesting catalogue with online ordering available. Enda’s Booktique (Duncanville, Texas) Enda’s Booktique is an independent bookstore located in Duncanville (Dallas), Texas, founded by Enda Jean…
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5 Novels by Black Indie Sci-fi and Fantasy Writers
Happy Black History Month! In celebration of black writers, I want to kick the month off by spotlighting interesting science fiction and fantasy novels by black indie writers. Check it out! 1. Tic Online by Von Johnson When US NAVYSPACE’s newest flagship, the fold jump capable USS Galileo is captured by the hostile Azian Maou…
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Dani J. Caile, author of Humanity H20
Are you a full-time or part-time writer and how does that affect your writing? Part-time. Since beginning writing over a decade ago I’ve considered myself a ‘hobby’ writer, even though I’ve quite recently been able to make some leeway into the market with my latest series. I have both a full-time job as a teacher…
Waking Writer
By Berneta L. Haynes
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