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And So It Begins: Origin Stories from TWWBF2021 Adaptations Panelists


 
W.I.S.E. Men (The Persistence of Memory #4)  
Karen Janowsky, author & publisher   
Speculative fiction  
December 2020 

W.I.S.E Men is the fourth installment of this genre-defying Persistence of Memory series but functions as a prequel that lays the foundation for the World Intelligence Security Endeavor. It's a romance as character study told on a sliding timeline between the 1990s and early 2000s moving between Somalia, across the United States, and other locations around the world.  

Why is Kevin such a tool?  
How did Rob Fischer amass his power?  

These questions and more are answered through this author’s signature blend of emotional complexity, gallows humor, historical and pop culture context interspersed with a few high-stakes action scenes. W.I.S.E. Men is a true origin story that brings readers full-circle to the beginning of Déjà Vu. In some ways it works well as a stand-alone romance featuring multiple couples. Moments of superheroic campiness as inspired by the era of Super Friends, Six-Million Dollar Man, and Batman add nostalgic charm.   




Only HueMan (Prequel to HueMan Nature)  
Uzuri Love, author & publisher  
Romance 
April 2019   

Heartbreak hardens Naomi's resolve to focus on her friendships and her career goals—until she crosses paths with Connor, who makes her question her fundamental beliefs about romantic relationships. Who is appropriate to love? Where should her loyalties lie? Is it selfish to choose her own happiness over the expectations of other people in her life? 

Only Hueman starts as a sweet courtship story that develops into a sexy erotic romance set against the backdrop of the U.S. nation's capital, HBCU grads, identity politics, and personal crossroads. The ambiguous ending is consistent with an origin story and more grown and sexy goodness to come. The potential for storytelling greatness is obvious. 

Memorable passage from Chapter 2: … a black woman's health and beauty regimen. It required strategic and complex tasks in order to ward off the spirit of ashiness and hair breakage.  

[Minor proofing oversights sprinkled throughout don't lessen this story's charm.] 

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