Still Dreaming of Justice for All + More

[In above image b & w picture of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other Civil Rights advocates is from the endpapers for Let Freedom Ring, Stanley Tretick's Iconic Images of the March on Washington by Kitty Kelley.]

Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne

contemporary literature, romantic

Berkley, November 2022

Liza and Dorsey's story is a love letter to the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia region (the original DMV) that acknowledges the range of its complexities and contradictions. Effective grassroots community engagement struggles against political and corporate interests that prioritize profit over people. Exploring family nuances and legacies in behavior patterns and expectations in addition to genetics and finances add richness to an already dynamic reimagining of a literary classic. It's often humorous, especially the clever summaries of oppressive annoyances (my label for them).

Lady Hawthorne (San Francisco Mystery Series #7) by Alexi Venice, author & publisher

contemporary mystery suspense with romance

December 2022

Picking up where #SandyBottom ended, Amanda and Jen's relationship drama gets paused when the threat of potential for a global mass casualty event demands their immediate and full attention. Amanda's previous romantic involvement with Roxy ups the odds for more personal messiness. International intrigue, ominous family secrets, tricky romantic entanglements, along with a dash of entertaining speculative woo-woo and more make this seventh entry in the series a narrative pivot that offers an easy, charming read with some elements of campy fun.

[note: Bad actors not from the U.S. are often referred to as "the Russians" and "the Chinese" which might clank for some readers.]

Weekly Reading Binge Titles*

*Some people binge visual media; I binge books. #noapologies

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The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen Delivers All the Feels

Black love. Black joy. Black drama. Humanity in its vast melanin array. [front cover of a paperback ARC for The Best Man: Unfinished Business; silhouette of three adults] The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen adult contemporary fiction with romantic elements Storehouse Voices, July 2025 First, dedicated fans of The Best Man franchise and its beloved characters need not fear how they’re treated in this first of three novels. In fact. One thread of Harper’s storyline seems to reflect the real-life author/screenwriter/director’s battle to protect and maintain the integrity of The Best Man universe. Mission accomplished. Second, once readers - fans or not - start this novel they won’t want to stop. The compulsion to re/watch The Best Man movies and limited series and maybe even to reread this book while anticipating the release of book two in 2026 will prove difficult to resist. Who are you? Who are your people?...

Our Poet Laureate's Memoir + More TWWBF2025 Prep

Educator, poet, short story author, mindfulness guide and now the moniker of memoirist has been added to the long list of creative accomplishments earned by Poet Laureate of The Write Women Book Fest Aressa V. Williams. She was born and raised in the vibrant community of Washington, D.C.'s Northeast neighborhood of Deanwood. Her Memoir evokes the nostalgia, challenges, victories, heartaches and joys of her life that connect with readers across generations and locations. [photo credit: H.L. Brooks; image: two paperback ARCs of In Deanwood, A Memoir by Aressa Verdell Williams arranged on a tabletop; cover art of a sepia toned two-story colonial house with four columns - two on each side of the front door] The ebook is currently available with print copies coming soon! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-deanwood-aressa-verdell-williams/1147594007 Just under 3 weeks before day one of The Write Women Book Fest and we've finished decorating t-shirts for our aw...

DIY Marketing TWWBF2025 + the Usual BAC Issues

Six(!) days until day one of the 6th and grand finale year of The Write Women Book Fest!!! Last week was another hard one for federal workers in the DMV area along with other ongoing challenges, making it tough for a lot of people to prioritize joy. This coming weekend TWWBF2025 intends to celebrate and support talented authors, poets, creatives, and publishing industry professionals and their work, readers and literacy advocates while we also celebrate everything positive that this event has contributed to our community since 2019. [a two-image collage: right side - two posters atop the closed lid of a baby grand piano; both with "The Write Women Book Fest, 100+ authors Golden Angel, Eden Appiah-Kubi, Courtney Duke Foster, Jeaniene Frost, Maria Vale, Erin Wright, EC Poetry & Prose, July 19th QR Code thewritewomenbookfest.org, Use code FESTNEWS25 for 30% off!"; left side - an incomplete poster with "The Write Women Book Fest" and a blank sheet of paper with a g...

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