In Conversation

In addition to writing books for middle grades and young adult audiences, Jay is a composer with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and a professional musician living in Muncie, Indiana.I’d like to issue a Content Warning for my listeners: This episode was recorded on April 16, 2021, on the heels of gun violence in Indianapolis and includes a discussion of gun violence and police violence against Black and Brown bodies.In this episode, we cover several key topics including:- Making time and space for healing- How to navigate what to share and post on social media- How the publishing industry monetizes Black pain- Writing fiction that reflects the real world and celebrates Black joyAnd lots more! So sit back and enjoy! You can order Things We Couldn’t Say wherever books are sold and you can connect with Jay through his website and social media:Connect with Jay Coleshttps://www.jaycoleswrites.com/ https://twitter.com/mrjaycoleshttps://www.instagram.com/mrjaycolesResources Mentioned in this EpisodeBall State UniversityBlack Boy Joy edited by Kwame Mbalia, includes a story by Jay ColesThe House on Mango Street by Sandra CisnerosThe Hate U Give by Angie ThomasBlackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola YoonJoy Revolution Books

Crystal on a mission to positively reshape the way children of color all over the world see themselves. Fed up with the lack of black children's books on the market, Crystal founded Goldest Karat Publishing in order to address the lack of diversity in children's literature. In this episode, we cover several key topics including:The importance of represensation for Black kids The process of finding an illustrator whose work fits your vision as an authorRoadblocks in the publishing industry for kid lit authorsOur shared love of Dan Brown and Christopher PikeAnd lots more! So sit back and enjoy! Connect with Crystal Swain-Bateshttps://www.crystalswainbates.com/https://twitter.com/cswainbateshttps://www.instagram.com/cswainbates/https://www.facebook.com/cswainbates Resources Mentioned in this EpisodeCrystal’s author support Facebook Group: Six Figure Self-Publishing SecretsCrystal’s course for aspiring authors: Self-Publish Like a ProAnd if you want more Black & Bookish news and resources, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

In this episode, we cover several key topics including:How the co-authors’ backgrounds play into the story they wrote together. [4:06]The intersection between literature, history, and culture. [10:21]The process and love of writing for a middle grades audience. [29:22]And lots more!Connect with Kwame Mbaliahttps://kwamembalia.com/ https://twitter.com/ksekoum https://www.instagram.com/mbalia1/ Connect with Prince Joel Makonnenhttps://princeyoel.com/ https://twitter.com/hihprinceyoel https://www.instagram.com/princeyoel/ Resources Mentioned in this EpisodeEso Wan BooksQuail Ridge BooksPage 158Flyleaf BooksRead With MeThe Regulator BookshopPolitics and ProseBusboys and PoetsMahogany BooksSankofaRofhiwa BooksAnd if you want more Black & Bookish news and resources, sign up for our monthly newsletter.