“Stories help us examine and shape the world we live in. Stories give us hopeful answers and insights to questions no one person can answer on their own — stories help us share our lives. This is what I love about being a writer.” So says Jerdine Nolen–wife, mother of two, educator, school administrator, and [ Read the full article… ]
As a mom, Freddi Williams Evans made sure her children’s world was filled with books. She read to them often and found herself swept away by the stories too. Evans searched for books that showed reflections of African-American kids and culture. She found some, but knew there could be more. Evans decided to add her voice. Despite receiving rejections [ Read the full article… ]
Accomplished. Creative. Family-oriented. Passionate. Four qualities embodied in today’s featured author. Dr. Dianne “Dinah” Johnson obtained her undergraduate degree from Princeton University in English, with concentrations in African American Studies and Creative Writing. She then received her Master’s Degree in African American Studies, and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University. Today, she is a [ Read the full article… ]
To describe illustrator Eric Velasquez as a “prolific artist” would be an understatement. Before snagging his first picture book contract, he created art for more than 300 book jackets and interior illustrations — more published art than many illustrators create in a lifetime. A few of those titles include Journey to Jo’Burg and its sequel [ Read the full article… ]
As a child, one of Sharon Bell Mathis’ favorite reading spaces was the iron fire escape above the backyard. There, she stepped through the pages of books into new and exciting worlds. “I don’t remember when I actually realized how very special was this private playground/haven/sanctuary of mine . . . Everything was possible while [ Read the full article… ]
I love all types of books, but I’m a pop fiction writer pure and simple. So when I get the chance to celebrate other pop fiction writers it’s like kicking it with fam. Debbie Rigaud and I seem to have lived parallel lives (sort of) when it comes to writing – writing for teen mags [ Read the full article… ]
The title of her blog says it all: LIVING THE DREAM. A dream born many years ago, when she was just a child. A dream nourished by a supportive mother. A dream guided through instruction at Syracuse University. Polished at the School of Visual Arts. But Shadra Strickland’s dream didn’t end there. Soon after graduation, [ Read the full article… ]
Marguerite Abouet was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in 1971, and sent to study in France at the age of 12, under the care of a great uncle. She now lives in a suburb of Paris, and remains closely connected to the country of her birth. Aya, her graphic novel series, taps into Abouet’s childhood [ Read the full article… ]