Black Author Spotlight: Minnie Warren

Welcome back to the Black Author Spotlight! 

The goal of this segment is to highlight Black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

This month, I am highlighting Minnie Warren, an independent faith-centered author of contemporary fiction and suspense. She is originally from Alabama but now lives in New Mexico, and her work is shaped by her love for family, service, and her daughter.

Hear directly from Minnie: "My stories explore faith, family, identity, forgiveness, resilience, difficult relationships, redemption, and suspense while keeping the characters and emotional journeys grounded and authentic."

Her current titles are:

The Finding Home Series

Finding Home

Before We Found Home

Where Grace Leads

Faith-based Mystery & Suspense

The Silence After Amen

The Secrets We Bury

What the River Kept

Children's Book

*NEW* The Backpack with Room for Love

Click each title to be taken directly to the book's purchase page. Click here to visit Minnie's website to view links to her books, guides, trailers, and more!

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

Black Author Spotlight: Lambo Griffin

And almost exactly two years later, I'm back with another Black Author Spotlight! Maybe it's time for me to get this back up and running, yeah?

The goal of this segment is to highlight Black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting Lambo Griffin. Lambo Griffin is an author, independent researcher, artist, and multidisciplinary creator based in Lawton, Oklahoma. His work connects memoir, philosophy, history, technology, civic research, and music. He is the author of The Archive, an experimental biography reconstructed through more than three years of conversations with AI, and History is Selective, a modern philosophy work examining how memory, evidence, power, and ownership shape what societies preserve.

Lambo's books released this month, and he is offering digital copies for review! Please reach out to him at dorianmartinsmith@gmail.com if you are interested in assisting him. You can also visit his website at https://dorianmartinsmith.wixsite.com/the-archive-1.

________________________________________________________________________________

If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

New Website Design!

 October is here already, my God. 

This is just a quick update, as I have finally made a website that looks like more than a few words on a banner background, so hit the Home button above to check it out!

Weekly Words: My Laptop Has Returned!

 

I'm sure you're wondering, "Where did it go?" About a month ago, my laptop had an update. After it was done, I was on it for a little bit, walked away as one does, and it went to sleep and would not wake back up. I could only access the BIOS! It was quite stressful. Fortunately, I had a few days left of my free support, so I shipped it to HP, and they reimaged the whole thing. Extra fortunately, all my stories, WIPs, and audio files from recording are in the cloud, so I only have to worry about re-downloading my Discord and gaming apps. If that wasn't a sign to finish this audiobook, I don't know what would be!

I've been doing a lot of writing, to the point that I'm almost finished the second part of the book. This really excites me, because I've had the first chapter of the third part written for MONTHS now. Once I get there, I hope I can get the last part completed fast. Figuring this book out was a chore, especially after I never expected to write a sequel! I'm getting antsy to work on my other projects.

I finished Mo Dao Zu Shi the novel. I hope to start the manhua this year, but I'm going to read some other books first. I might even do a classic Weekly Words next week. I started a new book, but I'm currently in the introduction, so I really have to force myself to read it right now. I also have to start editing a dissertation for someone and have a book club book for my church music ministry, so it might take longer to read a book for fun.

Anyhow, that's what I have going on right now. It shouldn't take me another two months before I post again, but at this point, you all know me. Unless you're a new reader from Bluesky or Tumblr. Then, hello! I'm inconsistent. Sorry in advance. 

Weekly Words: Bento Con Tomorrow!!

 

Happy October! Next week, it will be 2030. Seriously, where did September go!?

The past few weeks, I've been gearing up for Bento Con, and now it's here! I've purchased rack cards of my character sketches to sell this time, and I'll have a shop sheet that has links to my hardcover and Kindle versions of the book. I also plan on drawing mockups of the next cover and having a donation sheet. I know what both the next covers will look like, but I'll see if I want to do it for both tomorrow. I literally only have tomorrow left. Ah!

That's really all I have to say haha. I did finish the one book, and all I'll say is a phoned in conclusion to what started as a great series is highly disappointing. I'm back reading Mo Dao Zu Shi, and I'm loving every page. I'm trying to hold back on rewatching The Untamed until I finish, but we'll see if I can make it.

I did have more to say apparently.

Word on the street is Twitch finally created a tag for writers and readers, so, I might do a few things on there. We'll see!

Black Author Spotlight: Tee Noell Rose

 

You are seeing correctly! It's my first Black Author Spotlight in almost 2 whole years! The goal of this segment is to highlight Black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting poet Tee Noell Rose. Tee is a self-taught artist and writer from Texas! She specializes in soft pastel drawings and acrylic paintings, and when I say specialize, check out her gorgeous works of art and read about her many awesome accolades because of it! Tee uses "natural imagery to explore themes of identity, mental health, coming of age, and dreams." I especially love the darker colors they use in their art, and the flowers are breathtaking.

In addition to art, Tee writes poetry and short stories. Their latest work, Animal, a collection of poems and photographs centered around the theme of animals, is available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback formats. Tee also has two previous books, Body and Night. Buy them at their Kindle Store!

If you missed it above, visit Tee's website at https://www.teenoellrose.com/.

You can also visit their blog at Noell Rose – Medium to see their other written works.

Follow Tee on Instagram at noellrose37.

________________________________________________________________________________

If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

Weekly Words: Am Reading Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's Mo Dao Zu Shi (Book 2)

 

Happy June!

Last week, I said that I was reading the second book of Mo Dao Zu Shi, so I thought I would share some of it, because I read the first book back in September!

HAUNTED BY SIN

Following the trail of a dismembered corpse, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji arrive at the gates of Yi City: an old, abandoned town shrouded in mist and restless spirits. A fiendish foe awaits them in the shadows, heralding a tale of heartbreak and tragedy. When the mysterious corpse’s identity is finally revealed, the hunt for its killer plunges Wei Wuxian back into the depths of the cultivation world's politics, where he must keep his enemies close and Lan Wangji even closer.

The first book ended with Wuxian and Wangji entering a ghost town, which is one of my favorite storylines in the show. They're chasing this mystery, and they have no idea why. Having watched the show twice, I know why, but seeing how the scenes play out in the books is so exciting. The art associated with the scenes are also just breathtaking!

*chefs kiss* The story behind this picture is so heartbreaking. Someone said it's Shakespearean, and oh man, was it. I don't remember all of the details, but I do know he took out his own eyes and later down the road was tricked into killing his best friend, whose tongue had been cut out, so he couldn't warn him. So tragic. I'm still near the beginning of this book, so I can't wait to see where it ends.

Reading anything fun this month?

TV Show Review: We Are Lady Parts

Happy Friday! 

How are we already in May? I've vowed to do as much writing as possible today, so hopefully by the time this goes live, I've started. (Spoiler alert: I was still writing THIS 20 minutes ago.)

This is a rare review, in that I don't think I've ever reviewed a TV show. It's also a full circle moment in a weird way. The other day I was trying to find a blog post that talked about a webcomic I'm reading because it's about to end, and I stumbled upon this old post about a self-hating POC against Ms. Marvel being Kamala Khan. Since that post, we've not only gotten a Disney Plus show about Kamala Khan but a movie! I loved both. Others not so much, but I've thoroughly enjoyed the lighter sequels in the MCU after being gutted by Chadwick Boseman's real death, forcing Black Panther's death, and Iron Man's death.

But I digress. Kamala Khan was not only relatable and loveable, but seeing how she navigated her Muslim identity as a superhero made it even more authentic. I hope Mr. Ampikaipakan has either seen the error of his ways or still loses sleep seeing the success of Ms. Marvel all these years later.

All of that said, I stumbled upon a great show yesterday on Peacock and proceeded to binge watch it (there are only six 24-minute episodes, so it was easy). We Are Lady Parts created by Nida Manzoor.                          

Geeky biochemical engineering Ph.D. student Amina Hussein becomes the unlikely lead guitarist of Lady Parts, an all-female Muslim punk band on a mission to get a proper gig. Saira, the band's fierce and enigmatic frontwoman, sees something in Amina the others can't. Saira leverages Amina's desperation to find a husband and offers to set her up with potential matches if she agrees to join. Torn between her straitlaced university friends and members of Lady Parts, Amina tries to find her voice.

The show opens up with an instant clash of Muslim cultures as Amina (center) sits with her parents to meet a potential husband with his parents. Her parents are progressive and for the most part loving and supportive, but in this instance, they're embarrassing. Not that the other family was worthy of Amina, but at one point, her parents mention that she teaches music to under-privileged kids, for instance, and that earned a frown and "music is haram" from the other family. Yikes.

Amina is desperate to find a husband because all of her friends are married or engaged, and she sees a beautiful Muslim man who hands her a flyer for a band looking for a guitarist. She doesn't even pay attention to the band part; she just goes looking for the man and finds herself meeting Lady Parts. Mayhem and music ensue. I don't have a voice right now (been sick for two weeks), but there was one part where I whisper-yelled, "Yes, guitar riff!" Amina can SHRED!

So, we meet the other four girls on the poster: left to right: Momtaz, Saira, Bisma, and Ayesha, and right-off the bat, we have four different Muslim experiences on screen just by looking at them. They each have their own challenges as Muslim women as well as women singing very white-centered punk music. On top of this, Amina is trying very hard to balance these two lives she's in, so we have these five women just trying to live and love the music they create all while living in Muslim skin.

This show is topical, funny, heart-warming, and even as a Black Christian woman, a story that resonated with me because they're women of color trying to be heard in a world that has already labeled them as unworthy. I love each of the five characters, and Amina's parents, ugh, I just love them so much. I'm probably going to watch it again, and I just saw that Season 2 comes out at the end of this month (the first season aired in 2021!), so I can't wait to watch the trailer and see what's next to come for the ladies and their parts! hehe

Monthly Review

 

© Creative Commons Zero (CC0)

Happy December!

I was supposed to come back last week to talk about Blue Hen Comic-Con, but it was a busy week. Overall, the Comic-Con was good. One thing I did observe, and observed during Dover Comic-Con as well, is that most of the teenagers/young adults (the target audience for Fractured Princess) passed by my table. They're definitely more interested in the anime/scifi aspects of conventions, which I totally understand. Still pretty painful to witness, BUT I did meet a great author who had flyers for an actual book convention, so I am going to sign up for that. Book conventions will obviously be a better draw, so the books I didn't sell will go towards that, if I still have them by then. We'll see. It was also a lesson on not to plan what bills you'll get to pay off afterwards, because I only broke even, so nothing was paid off. On a positive note, at least I broke even.

Also, I have yet to unpack my car...Maybe next year haha.

I haven't failed my reading challenge, but I've failed my reading challenge. I'm reading a book that is thankfully short, because it's bad. I don't like bashing other authors, because I know the time it takes to write, but it was clear this author needed way more guidance, training, and editing than they received. It reminded me that I also still need to read up on writing, because 1) I literally started the series I'm currently working on TWENTY years ago, and 2) there is a lot I probably still need to learn, even though I've been writing for decades now, and especially as an independent author. Do I want to try to traditionally publish the next series? I'm not even sure. It's a nice thought, but if the industry still hasn't changed, why bother?

On another positive note, I did have some people at the Convention ask about an audiobook. I streamed my first recording, then immediately realized I wasn't close enough to the mic. I'll try to stream again, but I'll have to figure out a configuration, because the little sound box I have (aka borrowed) is small, and I need to fit a mic, my laptop, and my head in that thing! So, all that said, streaming most likely won't be happening. I wanted to have a fun way to engage on Twitch with my writing, though. Maybe writing sessions, but I'm so spacey with those. It would force me to focus, but I don't want to be forced to focus. I'm so annoying.

Anyways, I cannot believe December is here already. The older you get, the faster time seems to go by. Someone said it's because as a child, you don't really have much past to look back on, so it feels slower? Something like that. All I know is I'm supposed to have completed an audiobook by now, read more books, and finished all of my unfinished games, and none of that happened. *facepalm* I hope your November went well, and I wish everyone Happy Holidays! See you in January!

Weekly Words: Am Reading Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's Mo Dao Zu Shi

 

Well, happy September! Summer is basically over, and I've only been on the beach in San Pedro, Belize. Woe is me. I started August with a sinus infection and ended it with COVID, so I'm hoping for a slightly better September.

While sick, I spent this week rewatching Steven Universe. I love that show. But also, I started a new book, which I'm super excited about, because it's the basis for one of my other favorite shows, The Untamed on Netflix: Mo Dao Zu Shi by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.

Resurrection and Revenge.

Wei Wuxian was once one of the most powerful men of his generation, a talented and clever young cultivator who harnessed martial arts and spirituality into powerful abilities. But when the horrors of war led him to seek more power through demonic cultivation, the world's respect for his abilities turned to fear, and his death was celebrated throughout the land.

Years later, he awakens in the body of an aggrieved young man who sacrifices his soul so that Wei Wuxian can exact revenge on his behalf. Though granted a second life, Wei Wuxian is not free from his first, nor the mysteries that appear before him now. Yet this time, he'll face it all with the righteous and esteemed Lan Wangji at his side, another powerful cultivator whose unwavering dedication and shared memories of their past will help shine a light on the dark truths that surround them.

I watched the show twice and started the manhua (Chinese version of anime) on Youtube, so I know this highlighted scene on the cover like the back of my hand, the first time the wild horse Wei Wuxian (right) went head-to-head with the very strict Lan Wangji (left). I'm 82 pages in at the moment, and so far, the Netflix show stays very true to the book, Chinese censorship laws notwithstanding. There's much more detail about the characters, of course, so we get an even more well-rounded image of them. There are even things I'm noticing in the story as a whole that I missed in the show.

The tv version of the story is a frame story, but in the book, it's written more like flashbacks. Either way, we start in the present and go back into the past to learn why exactly Wei Wuxian was summoned back to life: which was to discover a truth that his summoner uncovered and was ostracized for. We embark on a mystery filled with a little humor, what I expect (from the show) to be a lot of trauma and sadness, and fantastical romance that lives on Tumblr so prominently it's how I discovered the show in the first place. If you stumble upon any iteration of this story, I hope you love it as much as I do!

Weekly Words: Am Reading Sher Lee's Fake Dates and Mooncakes

 

Happy July!

It's my birthday month! As I venture into my last 30-oughth, I'm excited for the things I have planned the rest of this year. FP Take 3 has been an adventure, and I plan to ride it into the next book. But first, some easy reading!

This year, I'm trying to immerse myself in some more diverse reading and support my fellow authors of color. I'm starting with Sher Lee's Fake Dates and Mooncakes, a YA romance whose cover I absolutely love (CORGI!). The colors are vibrant and reminiscent of mooncakes, I believe. I can't wait to try some one day. Here is the blurb:

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

There are some high stakes right out the gate, and I feel for Dylan. I also love his family so far. Also, Theo is pretty adorable. I don't read contemporary romance that often, but I'm almost never disappointed. I can't wait to see how Dylan and Theo's story plays out.

What are you reading this month?

Movie Review: The Little Mermaid

 Hey, y'all, guess what? THE BOOK IS OUT!

You can once again buy my indie edition of Fractured Princess on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle! Hardcover is coming soon! If you're in Dover on June 17th, you can also find me at Comic Con! I'll have a map soon, but you can also look for the bright pink tent and Jonnie's face. I will have books there as well. I'm so excited.

Now, for Weekly Words! I'm back with another movie review!

 Last Friday, my sister, goddaughter and I went to the opening of The Little Mermaid!

Unless you live under a rock, you know how the Disney version of this story goes. Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton, wants to be a part of the human world. As a human myself, why? But "who are me to judge?" During a fireworks display (do we ever learn why they're shooting off fireworks? haha), the curious Ariel follows the lights to a ship where she first sees Prince Eric and his adorable shaggy dog that immediately loves her. The ship hits a storm, Prince Eric almost drowns, but Ariel saves him. Ursula, the evil sea witch who is trying to steal the King's power, uses this opportunity to turn Ariel human for three days with payment of her voice, and Ariel has to get Eric to kiss her before the three days is up, or she will belong to Ursula. Mayhem and deception ensue, but in the end Ursula is defeated, and King Triton decides to let Ariel be a human. *ahhhh-ahhhh*

The original cartoon came out when I was five years old. We watched it in class when I was the first grade (do they even gather the kids together to watch movies anymore?), and all of the girls sang along to the annoyance of all the boys. ha Even when I was a teenager, I wanted to be Ariel (Mermaid Ariel. I'm already on land), which is probably also why I love to swim so much. I used to picture myself being Ariel in a live action version The Little Mermaid and wonder how they would pull that off! FOX failed, but Disney?!

From beginning to end, this movie was PERFECT. The actors were so perfectly cast. Halle Bailey, I've been listening to her since she was a tween, and to see her play Ariel so well and have people who didn't know her before hear her magical voice, I'm so proud of her! Like her sister says, she is a real Disney Princess! And to see a young Black woman get to play one of my favorite Disney characters makes child me so happy. Also, Melissa McCarthy, whom I've been watching since Gilmore Girls, played Ursula SO well! I don't know why people thought she couldn't, but she showed up and showed out! She even sounded like Pat Carroll a little bit. I didn't know she could effect her voice.

They added a little bit more story as well, which worked so well within the movie. We learn what happened to Ariel's mother, why King Triton is so against humans (though honestly, we all should be at this point), why Ursula is trying to bring down Triton, and best of all to me, we get a story line for Eric! He's not just a cookie cutter prince. I loved it. Some of the changes they made to the story also strengthened Ariel's arc. I didn't realize until this movie how much she was a helpless damsel in the original. The writers gave her so much more agency in this version. It's amazing.

The effects were SO good! We all know Ursula hulks out, and it's still extremely scary. Also, Disney definitely listened to everyone who--for some reason--wanted the Lion King animals to emote like cartoon characters, which didn't bother me, but I did notice the animated expressions of Sebastian, Scuttle, and Flounder. Halle also posted some behind-the-scenes takes of how they made her look like she was swimming. She had to get really fit for this movie, and her abs showed it.

 

And lastly, the songs! While they didn't bring back some of them, they added a couple songs and add to the "big" song, and again, it helped to strengthen the story. If you don't leave the theater singing about the scuttlebutt, I don't know what you're doing.

So, go take a child (or not. The babies were babying in the theater) and see this movie! You won't be disappointed.

Also, buy my book. haha

Now that we're going to the movies more, I might have some more reviews, so keep an eye out!

Movie Review - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

Happy April!

 

I can't tell you the last time I did a movie review on my blog. Now the world is trying to open back up like COVID is dead, I at least get the pleasure of going to the movies again, which is something I did miss during quarantine.

 

My sister and I had the pleasure of joining the Black Girl Gamers x Paramount for a screening of the new Dungeons and Dragons movie: Honor Among Thieves. First off, didn't know there were two movies before it. hahaha. I'm 85% sure they were terrible, because they came out in 2000 and 2005, not prime movie effect era unless you were The Matrix, and literally just the first one, because the effects in The Matrix: Reloaded were awful.

But anyway, back to D&D: HAT. The movie starts with Edgin (Chris Pine) and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) pleading their case to get out of prison so they can get back to Edgin's daughter, whom he left with one of his thief buddies. Not to spoil anything, but honor among thieves ensues, as well as dungeons and dragons. Saying anything else will give away just about everything. It's a pretty standard plot and character arc, though. Not much will surprise you.

This movie has a big cast of stars: Chris, Michelle, Hugh Grant, and Regé-Jean Paige, as well as smaller known names like Justice Smith (Jurassic World, The Get Down) and Sophia Lillis (IT, Uncle Frank), etc. Their chemistry is just about perfect, and they all give some great performances. I didn't expect to laugh the entire movie. It was hilarious. Everyone's comedic timing really was a gem to watch. My sister said someone said Chris Pine can save any movie, and not that this movie needs saving, but he is a favorite of mine, and he shines as a bard/harper/team planner haha.

I have an understanding of the game D&D, mainly from a couple episodes of Community, Futurama: Bender's Game, the short-lived "Dungeons & Durags" on Twitch, and Hello From the Magic Tavern's version "Offices & Bosses," so the different beasts and special weapons didn't get lost on me. As someone who plays Shattered Pixel Dungeon every day, I especially loved the appearance of a mimic in the game, and what I think might have been a basilisk? Anyhow, there wasn't as much action as you would expect, but the effects were really good. When the first non-mythical creature effect happened, I said out loud, "That was a really cool effect." The only one that was pretty bad was an animatronic cat baby (you'll get it when you see it). But the mythical creatures are all very well-designed.

I think I'm going to give this movie 5 of out 5 stars. My sister said it's one she would watch over and over on tv, and I agree. It has great characters, great acting, great storytelling, and overall, it's just a great adventure! So if you haven't seen it already, go see it!

Weekly Words: Women in Writing - Kristin Cashore

Happy Women's History Month!

Earlier this week, I had an idea to highlight some of my favorite female characters written by women authors. As a writer, I grew up an avid reader, so I've seen many a female character, but it's always special when a woman writes a woman FOR other women to read. So this month, I will share some of my favorites.

Kristin Cashore's Graceling Series

I don't even remember how I can't make came across Graceling, but if you've followed me long enough, you'll know my first pitches for Fractured Princess heralded it as Graceling meets Final Fantasy. It's still accurate, even though these books are around 10 years old now.

The story itself is quietly terrifying, but seeing characters like Katsa, gifted with the power to kill, and Fire, cursed with the power to control people's minds, and how they navigated their lives with the conspiracies happening around them was exciting. Fire, especially, was such a unique character to me. I think I read that book in 3 days. I'll also give a nod to Bitterblue's character, though I wasn't as whelmed by her book as I was by the other two, but she was a princess who was forced to clean up the mess her father created, so she was still a strong female character in her own right.

I might have to read these again. There are so many scenes I remember vividly. If you've never read them, check them out!

New Year, New News!

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

It is the first Friday of 2023! Can you believe it? I surely can't. 2022 came in hot and fast, and the overall consensus was that this year needs to come in nice and quiet-like.

Well, I started 2023 with my first bout of COVID, so the year is super disrespectful already. I've been in bed since Tuesday, when I woke up ready to go to a scheduled doctor's appointment and realized something wasn't quite right. The past few days have taken me through rotating symptoms, and I'm grateful they all didn't hit at the same time. My doctor prescribed me treatment, so I started it last night. It gave me grapefruit mouth, but so far, so good.

On that note, some things I've gotten done the past few days:

• I rewatched The Witcher and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. I am in the middle of rewatching the first 3 episodes of The Witcher: Blood Origin, which I watched with my sister last Saturday and had planned on finishing with her before I ended up in quarantine. I also watched all the bestiaries, and the narrator is so goofy.
• I finished the audiobook version of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which I read NINE YEARS AGO. I had to search both this blog and my old blog to remember that I was still over on my old blog when I read it. I even forgot how I found the book in the first place. It was in an article about Black fantasy authors! Here is the post, if you want to peek at it. That was back when I used Random.org to pick a page from the book, and seeing the line that I chose, it's funny because I just heard the line a little over 24 hours ago.
• I spent about 7 hours playing Apex Legends, and I don't know if it was being in bed or having to focus more because of the coughing and nose-blowing, but I played really well. Even won a couple of games. Yay!

Realizing I was at the end of the week, I knew I had to get a post up for today, especially because my book contract has now officially ended! That means I am free to self-publish again! This past year, I've spent most of my writing time revising Divided Princess, but I also had help from my friend, the author MultiMind (highlighted on my blog here), preparing Fractured Princess for its re-release, so I made some updates to it as well. I plan to have more information in the next few weeks, but I will be back at my local Comic-Con with a new edition of the book, hopefully in paperback and hardcover and featuring a newly designed version of the original cover by Racheal Scotland! I'm really excited about it.

So this far, that's the best thing to come of 2023, helping to balance out the bad, and it's only the beginning!

I'm In Another Tournament!

Happy Friday!

I'm peeking back in on my hiatus to say I am participating in the second Black Girl Gamers Apex Legends GameFace Tournament hosted by Benefit Cosmetics!

This year, I'm in Team MeMeDe, and I've gotten some good practice in! I hope to do better than have my captain carry me all 6 games haha. If you want to watch, the tournament will be live on the BGG Twitch Channel at approximately 3:40PM EST with two Get Ready With Me segments, followed by the big game at 5:00PM. I love to get the chance to play with the BGG, and here's to more tournaments in the future!

Black Author Spotlight: Pura Lux

 

Happy Hallows!

It is the first Friday of October, which means it's time for another Black Author Spotlight! The goal of this segment is to highlight black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting Pura Lux.

Pura Lux is an amazing poet I met while at Florida State University. She is from Homestead, Florida, and  I believe she now lives a little more inland, so gratefully, she was safe from Hurricane Ian! She writes the most surreal, ethereal, and the rawest words I've ever had the privilege to read. Though she's quite nervous to share her work to the masses, she uses Instagram to post her musings backed by pretty graphics that sometimes include her lovely face! I'm still waiting patiently for her slam book *ahem*, but for now, scroll through her feed to read her beautiful words!

Follow Pura Lux on Instagram!

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

Black Author Spotlight: PYIF

 

Happy Friday!

It is the first Friday of SEPTEMBER, and we can freak out about that later. It is time for another Black Author Spotlight! The goal of this segment is to highlight black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting Allen "PYIF" (Push Your Imagination Further) Greene.

This author is actually very near and dear to me: he's one of my cousins! We come from a very artistic family, from music to illustrating to writing, we are very right-brained.

PYIF is a sci-fi light novelist who is finally actively pursuing his dream toward publishing. I've had the pleasure of reading his first few draft pages, and I think readers will be in for a treat!

PYIF has created a GoFundMe to help with art commissions and copyright buyouts. Please support if you can! He's almost halfway there!

Follow PYIF on Instagram!

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

Black Author Spotlight: AJ Woodson

 

Welcome to August! It is the first day and the first Friday of the month, so it is time for another Black Author Spotlight! The goal of this segment is to highlight black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting AJ Woodson.

AJ Woodson is the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Black Westchester Magazine, a webzine for people of color in Westchester, NY, and the tri-state area. As the website states, "BlackWestchester.com is committed to be a platform to profile life, culture, economics, politics, sports and entertainment and those who are representing vision in these marketplaces and who can both encourage and provide role models to other men and women. BlackWestchester.com, through its online magazine, monthly newspaper, weekly talk radio show and editorial content, will be a vessel of community information throughout Westchester and the Tri-State area of New York. Our mission is to promote the concept of “community” through media." Black Westchester Magazine currently has close to 1,000 articles, with topics ranging from entertainment to politics, and hosts seven radio shows.

AJ also wrote a book about the creation of the webzine called Black Westchester - The Origin Story And How My Faith Was Instrumental in This Great Experiment, which tells of how the magazine came to be.

It is currently available on Amazon, but you can purchase an autographed copy through Paypal or Cashapp via $MrAJWoodson. Click here to read the article with the news.

You can follow AJ on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at MrAJWoodson.

His website will soon be available at www.mrajwoodson.com.

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos

Black Author Spotlight: S.D. Johnson

 

Happy July! It is the first day and the first Friday of the month, so it is time for another Black Author Spotlight! The goal of this segment is to highlight black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

Today, I am highlighting Samone "S.D." Johnson.

Samone is a self-published speculative fiction author, wife, and mother of three. She is also a mentor, beta reader, proofreader/editor, copywriter, and ghost writer, and she also helps promote other books! She actually has her own author spotlight as well! Samone's website is equally as active as she is. You can view her current read as well as books she's read previously, and watch her booktuber videos!

Her first series, The Fallen Scion Series, is currently available on Amazon, and if you visit her website, you might actually find a free sneak peek of Book 1: The Scion's Descent *wink*. Here are the awesome covers of all three books (peep the backgrounds!):

And here is the synopsis:

The Falling Scion Series is a coming-of-age story dropped at the crossroads of Mad Max and family deception. The year is 2305 in a post-apocalyptic dystopian United States. Our fragmented Scion Yoli has grown up regal and privileged in the Shore Delegation but is seemingly transformed overnight when she is kidnapped by a sister that she never knew existed and told the truth about her bloodline and pedigree. She can’t trust anyone and she’s full of resentment, and all she wants to do is run from all of it. She doesn’t have time to be smitten with Solomon the Post Trader or lose her best friend and Daily, Selah. Yet, with learning the truth, she’s forced to deal with it head-on or be consumed by the deceit.

Everything changed for Yoli, the day the men of the Pit and their heinous leader Santana got their hands on her. Santana tortures Yoli, in hopes to get information from her that could change the course of their history. Not to mention this evil man is revealed to be Yoli’s uncle and mortal enemy. After an all-hands-on-deck heist to get her back from the Pit. Yoli goes through a tragic drug-induced detox only to be forever changed from the sheltered heir of the Shore Delegation to a wild child still grappling with life after the enemy has sieged and destroyed her home. The once life-loving young lady has become a dark, brooding, life-hating, hedonist drowning her broken pieces in debauchery. Along with Solomon the Post Trader (the man she has come to swoon after), her new sister Stacia (the one she once admired and now loathes), the people of the Bottoms, and the bounty hunters, the group finds themselves at the Barnes Military Base with the Pit looming close behind them. This is where Yoli learns two of the most crucial parts of her existence and she realizes that she has to get her act together and her life in order if she is going to live to see another day. It’s this bit of information that her sister was hiding that took from a young adolescent girl to a woman that must make adult decisions. One of those things is that her traditional tattoo Scion markings that she received at the age of thirteen during her coming-of-age ceremony, hold the key to a “promised land” beyond the desert wasteland that they all know. It’s that map in her Scion markings that her greedy uncle Santana will stop at nothing to get his hands on.

It’s at this moment that Yoli rises up and uses the information that Santana was after to keep her loved ones safe. She decides that it's her time to lead and stop crying about a past that she cannot change. Yet even that causes a whole new set of problems. The Pit is hot on her trail and she still can’t shake the burden of lies that she has to carry every time she looks at her sister, but she perseveres with the little hope that she has left. It’s lead her people or die trying time.

Faced with the tragic loss of one of Yoli’s loved ones, she decides that enough is enough and heads out after the enemy on her own to put an end to the torment that her family has suffered. She wanted to look death in the face and conquer it once and for all. Will she succeed?

Sounds intriguing! I love a good complicated family narrative.


Once again, you can visit Samone's website at http://www.authorsdjohnson.com/.

Follow Samone on Twitter and Facebook at authorsdjohnson.

Follow her on Instagram.

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos