Jennifer Baker's Blog

Some Things You Should Know About (Pub) Job Recruitment

Hey-o, friends! 

Well, that whole monthly blog post goal did not go as planned this year. I needed to follow my own advice on scribing more posts ahead of time. Noted. 

Anywho, I’ve received various inquiries as of late and figured I’d do a short(ish) post about job recruitment at book publishers. While this may come in handy for various folx, I think those in the entry-level phase of their careers could find it particularly helpful. Please note: I use the word “may” throughout this post because certain procedures/processes differ. In general, a lot of this may apply mostly to Big 5 publisher recruitment with the understanding that recruiters and hiring managers come to their own decisions based on particular needs and positions. 

Over the past several years, one of my big goals for the MiP podcast has been to interview someone from human resources to talk candidly about recruitment and the hiring process. That is still on the agenda(!), especially if folx are open to going on the record. We don’t have to get too saucy, but we can get informative! Until then, I’m offering some points based on experience (as applicant and the person hiring) and conversations (with recruiters and hiring managers).

Preface

If you weren’t already aware, editorial assistant positions at book publishers can receive as few as 150 submissions and as many as 1,000+ in the United States alone. At various publishers, recruiters may weed these down to a dozen or less and forward them to hiring managers. This number will vary based on the publisher or institution (say a university press), but ultimately a recruiter shares these submissions with the hiring manager(s) in batches. For example, if there’s only 10 applicants they may send all 10 or they may filter based on the specifications a hiring manager provided, which could bring that number down to 5. 

When it comes to very popular positions where less (specific) experience is required (i.e., entry-level/early career) and more people may be keen on it as a step towards a publishing career, there’s a ton more applicants. This is when further distinctions are made and batches are sent. If the hiring manager wants to review more applications or has a specific number that meets their bandwidth, they’ll request as such. These are decisions made prior to a position being posted.

Things to Remember:

You have to apply! (Sorry for the exclamation point, but this one is important!) This might be one of several items that seem obvious, but isn’t based on recent correspondence I’ve had with prospective applicants. Big companies that have particular processes need you to submit an application. The same goes for colleges/universities. Unless the job posts a specific email address to submit your materials to, make sure to go to the company’s Careers page and apply for the job there. Hiring managers cannot review your application and move it forward if you aren’t in the company’s recruitment system. Even if you have several people recommending you . . . you have to be in the system! For a recent entry-level role I got a lot of recommendations, but not everyone applied, so they cannot be considered. 

Apply Early: Especially for entry-level positions (see Preface above). An editorial assistant position may be open for all of a 1 week. (Yup, I said one week, as in 7 days.) Sometimes roles are kept up until filled, which means a role that’s been up for weeks or months may be in interview mode by the time you see it, yet still accepting applications. As soon as people start to apply, recruitment begins to filter through applications to send to the hiring manager(s). For entry-level this filtering could happen within a day or two of the position being open. Reviews may happen for a week or longer, or for some roles reviews are rolling. The hiring manager(s) will decide how many applicants they want to send assessment to and/or set up an interview with based on the amount of batches they agree to review and number of applicants they feel fits their needs for the role. This review can happen fast (as in within a week) for more of the early career positions (meaning 1-3 years of experience) due to demand. In the midst of this, a hiring manager may also receive many recommendations, which may be flagged to recruitment to pluck from the applicants and send in a batch to the hiring manager(s). So, yeah, applying early is great, and make sure to meet a deadline especially if you have someone advocating for you. 

I Wouldn’t Use AI: I know AI is proliferating all over, especially in college environments when folx may come to rely on tools like Grammarly—a program that’s often boasted about its AI platform. However, if I see you used AI in your cover letter or resumé then it’s an automatic rejection for me. (Keep in mind that AI is even more identifiable in a cover letter.) You’d be surprised how easy it was to spot and also how glaring it was in the usage, especially when it came to incorrect information, bad grammar/punctuation, and overstuffed sentences. If you’re relying on AI when applying for a job where I need you to establish strong writing and critical reading skills as well as an attention to detail, then I don’t think we’ll be a fit. 

Get Help Reviewing Your Resumé/Cover Letter: Typos, bad formatting, not updating the imprint/company name, mentioning literary fiction when the job posts commercial nonfiction, or mentioning books as part of my imprint (when they aren’t) may show that you used AI and/or aren’t detail oriented and/or doing a cut & paste for every job you apply to. A core component of any publishing job is being good at details. This is particularly crucial in roles like editorial, production, design, contracts/legal, etc. Even as you are beginning to build on your experience, this is a first impression on a person who is hiring. Make sure to cross your Ts and dot your Is, friends! 

Be Distinct In Your Cover Letter: Believe it or not, recruiters and hiring managers do read cover letters. For entry-level positions, particularly in editorial, we see a lot of the same statements over and over. And as someone whose professional and personal/creative work is about advocating for underrepresented communities, I see the same mission or admiration for said mission noted as a source of intrigue for applicants. (Great!) Outside of that, though, what else draws you to this position? (See #4 about cut & paste.) If you’re applying for every and any job, I get it, but some positions speak more to you than others, right? Make that known in the cover letter why this imprint, what your reading interests are and why they correlate for this position. Also, don’t be afraid to have a voice in your cover letter. A professional tone is great and necessary, and getting a sense of who you are is wonderful, too! 

Noting Other Career Goals: Some people may disagree with me, and I welcome disagreement because it’s healthy. I found it interesting when people applied for a particular job and in their cover letter, then said their dream was to do something totally different yet correlated to the job in terms of literature. No matter the level of the position, imagine how it sounds to tell a potential manager that this is a full-time job you want to ultimately take you to another career, not that you want to grow here and see where this role takes you. My own resumé reflects a variety of positions, so believe me when I say I get seeking opportunity elsewhere! On the flip side, whenever I’ve applied for a job, my intention was to stay and grow there. Circumstances usually led me to recognize a job (or the company culture) would not be a fit for the long haul. And I never said to a potential employer in my application or during an interview, “Hey, I want this manager position here, so I can ultimately be a manager over there.” Do what you will with this info, but just flagging for those who may want to review what they’ve sent out for positions. 

Alright! That’s all I got. I welcome additional suggestions to share here or on the interwebs. And feel free to let me know how your recruitment processes may differ for others to consider as well. Sending good energy to all, especially if you’re in the midst of a job search. 

Can we talk about (book) blurbs?

I drafted my thoughts on blurbs back in December. Then last week I saw Jami Attenberg also got in the blurb discussion game. You can read her take here via her Substack. Jami also mentions Rebecca Makkai’s detailed post (that I link to below) and it was in response to announcement that one of the Big 5 Publishers’ flagship imprint (Simon & Schuster) is no longer “requiring” blurbs. Since I already drafted my thoughts, I’m gonna stick with this post. If you find it helpful—great! At the least you get some varied opinions and background on the whole blurb thing.

First (or kinda second now), let me point to Rebecca Makkai’s really helpful “Blurb No More” post on Substack where she expounds on why she’s taking a hiatus from blurbing. She lists a brief history and Best Practices for authors, editors & publicists—which I cosign and also want to laud the section on “providing as much advance notice as possible.”

Let’s get philosophical for a moment, shall we? 

Do you need blurbs? Depends on who you ask. 

Do blurbs influence whether someone will read or buy your book? Also depends on the person. 

Do people tend to freak out over blurbs? Absolutely. (Or in even more colloquial terms: hell yes.) 

While some may have a hard line on what is and isn’t needed when it comes to publication, I will say that seeing 20 blurbs doesn’t necessarily sway me to buy a book and that in various cases I have not necessarily enjoyed books that received 3 pages of endorsements. More and more folx in the biz are noting how much word-of-mouth is precious to the longevity of a book. What so many things come down to in the arts is that much of it is subjective. Remember that. 

While Rebecca does get into some nitty gritty as mentioned. I’m gonna use this post to note what I’ve done, which you can take or leave. Well, take or leave the rest of them, but maybe try to adhere to Bullet #1 at the very least? (There are 6 points total.)

Time: Time is precious, y’all! It only took me 15 years into adulthood to fully embrace: “I’d rather have time than money.” This means a few weeks is really not enough time for anyone to blurb anything. I mean, maybe a picture book, but let’s not make it a habit, friends. Last year, in a span of 2 months I was asked for several blurbs with a turnaround time of less than 2 months. While I initially felt 2 months was a good minimum, after seeing Rebecca’s post noting 6 months, I’m setting a new boundary that 4 months is going to have to be a new minimum for any requests to me as an author to blurb someone’s work. And anything less than this will lean into hard “no” territory. (My forties have become the embrace boundaries era.) 

Choose your own minimum! There are people we’d bend over backwards for, perhaps literally if our spine or personal agility allowed it. But in general, it’s helpful to have a clear standard that you can provide within a quick reply to the person asking. Perhaps the requester will be able to adjust knowing you need more time.

Publishers (namely editors, agents, or publicists at a publisher) know when a book is going to publish (and more importantly, the To Printer date). And yes, crashes happen (see end of blog post for definition of a “crash schedule.”) But all in all, the higher chance of success is by providing as much time as possible. I had requested blurbs for Forgive Me Not a little over 3 months in advance, which still didn’t feel like enough time. When my pub date moved I contacted everyone immediately to say I could extend to 5 months if that helped. The majority of folx met the original 3 month timing.   

Provide people the best thing you have. You don’t have to wait to send the ARC to blurbers, especially if it cuts down the window for someone to read the book. If you need a blurb in October, then I’d reach out to someone in June, perhaps even earlier, especially for a book that is 80,000 words or more. For one thing, people may teach, have a book coming out (or one they’re actively working on), have kids in school, may be on sabbatical and not checking email regularly, etc. You never know what someone has on their plate. But if you do I’d suggest planning and providing a super clean manuscript and offering not just a PDF but a bound copy ASAP. (Your publisher can hopefully help cover costs on mailing a print copy or you can use it as a tax write-off if you have to pay for printing & shipping.) 

Please do not assume how fast one can read based on your need rather than their own schedule. I turned down all but one request based on the fact of length. And one I had to read in my own time due to bandwidth. I care if you respect my time and the effort that goes into crafting praise along with juggling various responsibilities. As someone who has been in the seat of the asker, and will be again on my own and others’ behalf, the best way to set yourself up is to show respect with as much leeway as possible, provide everyone all the info upfront including deadline, link to PDF, and offer to send a printed or bound copy (or ARC) ASAP. This is basic courtesy. Me having to ask for a printed version, when my eye strain is bad—plus, it was confirmed I have astigmatism last month—just adds another reason why I may decline. Make it easy for someone to say “yes,” and please reduce back & forth. This is the same for any ask, be it to moderate/attend an event or do an interview, etc. All info upfront as succinctly as possible. 

Gratitude: As with everything here, I’m not gonna say this is what everyone “should” do. We all have different methods. But here is what I did as thanks to the wonderful writers who took the time to provide me blurbs. (And I will do it again, if/when I’m so blessed to receive such support for my published work.) 

Final copies: I made sure to mail everyone a hardcover from my author copies with a short thank you note.

Gift: I sent treats via mail or in-person. (Make sure to ask about allergies!) In the case where 2 were convo partners, I gave them gift bags (and bought them dinner) as thanks for not only that evening, but for being so generous in general. 

Donations/Giveaways: I also purchased a few copies of the authors’ latest book to give away at a launch event and asked if there were any schools I could donate a copy to. Or I donated their book to schools that I also donated my book to. 

My main reasoning for Bullet #2 is that most times you get a copy and that’s it. Which is totally fine! When I love a book, I gladly sing that love from the rooftops because I want everyone to know how much I love it! (See my end of year Fave lists over the past several years.) For me, because I deeply respect and really like each writer I sent an early copy to, it meant the world that they even took a moment to read my book let alone provide kind words for it. And I wanted them to know how much that meant to me. If you want to go above and beyond, do it. But at the least, I’d suggest letting someone know via a personal note how much you appreciated their time & words. Whether you asked the blurber directly or not, it’s your book, and it helps when the author acknowledges that time & consideration. 

Blurb Tally: I do believe in overkill when it comes to most things, except water (stay hydrated y’all!). But it’s really every individual's choice as noted, and as I’ll continue to note. I didn’t love an instance when I, same as Rebecca, was asked for a blurb and steadily reminded about the deadline only to see the author had 12 people blurbing it. So there really wasn’t a need for my name as well, at least to me. Especially since it wasn’t going on any promotion. Now, I don’t need to see my name. Though… if you have 5 or more people blurbing, I have to wonder why you may need me to add to the mix? There is but so much room on the back cover. If you have 10 blurbs in for the hardcover edition, you probably don’t need mine.

Quick Note: Where do all those blurbs go? If not on the back cover of the physical book they may end up on early praise pages in the front matter as well as on the book page of the publisher’s (and/or author’s) website. But praise printed inside a book also depends on page count and timing, to name a couple factors. For hardcovers an abundance of blurbs may or may not go inside the book, but paperback reprints (pubbed a year or so after the hardcover in the U.S.) usually make space for the praise to be collated and put in the front since there’s less room on the actual cover due to the format.

Maybe this is controversial (welcome to my life), but maybe those of us receiving the ask should inquire how many people are already blurbing to gain a sense of urgency? No??? TOO CONTROVERSIAL, you say? 

For every book I draft, I make a list of potential blurbers/convo partners because I want to be targeted, not random. I don’t connect people to my work simply because of their name—and maybe that’s an error on my part. But, I do want to reach out to folx I (a) may have a relationship with whose work fits the audience I’m writing for as well, (b) someone who may enjoy my work (or has), and (c) someone whose work I also admire in the same genre (realm of story). I considered this for Forgive Me Not and told each person why I was asking them to read it. They all had experience as educators, are people who wrote deeply about important topics for young audiences, and each had at least one book I felt mine was in conversation with that I referenced & enjoyed. And if none of them were able to blurb, I’d figure it out. Mainly, I wanted to be better about targeting rather than casting a wide net. Casting a wide net may serve some people well—again, do you. And in some cases it may serve the author very well. But please consider both parties. It’s not easy or a quick process to review books and it’s not easy to blurb them.

Don’t Assume: What’s wild is that, for some, the words “I’ll consider it” or “I’ll take a read” or “I’ll try to read” seem to translate to “Yes, I will give you a blurb.” This is not the case, friends! The only guarantee is a firm “yes” or the blurb itself arriving in your inbox. (Huzzah when that happens!) If someone says they will read or consider or take a look or try to find time or see what they can do, or any variation of this, that isn’t a concrete “Yes!” or “Absolutely!” or “You’ll receive it from me on XX.” If you receive any of the noted responses that is not a firm yes, I’d suggest replying with: “Thanks for agreeing to take an early look at my book. If you can provide a blurb by XX date that’d be deeply appreciated. Please let me know if there’s another format I can provide for ease of reading.” 

Even though people I asked said they’d be happy to read my book, no one guaranteed me a blurb upfront. It wasn’t until I received it or updated folx on the date and they said they’d provide one that I knew. I did not assume even those who knew me would enjoy my book or deem to provide an endorsement. So please do not assume even when you have a relationship with someone. Timing matters. Approach matters. And it’ll be okay if someone may not totally jive with your work. Perhaps they may be able to be a convo partner, just not a blurber. Perhaps they can do social media championing, but not read it in a certain timeframe. Perhaps they can offer many other areas of support that may not appear on the book or book’s web page. Support looks different for everyone. 

Don’t Take It Personal: Cue the Monica song! Just a quick note, that may sound repetitive at this point, but I feel a need to emphasize: If someone chooses not to blurb your book, please try not to take it personally. If someone does provide some (helpful or thoughtful) feedback on the book, consider if this is something that may be worth applying to your work or not. 

If someone doesn’t like your book, they are probably not going to tell you out of kindness. And honestly, I don’t feel it’s my place to tell someone a book doesn’t jive with me. At the same time that’s often not the reason I decline blurb requests—timing is. If a book may be problematic, however, I may consider how to frame feedback or if I want to take time to say anything—especially if it’s through a publishing representative rather than the author.

You are not entitled to anything when it comes to blurbs. Not to anyone’s time or anyone’s good graces. If someone can’t do it who you feel “should” do it, perhaps re-examine why you feel this way. Perhaps someone said they would and did a takeback. That is a bummer, but if they can’t do the blurb perhaps you can circle back and check in if they may be able to help in another way. 

Sometimes people are just awkward and ghost. As a very direct person and proud Aquarius, I cannot explain why. But it does happen, unfortunately. It may be due to anxiety, overwhelm, or guilt for taking too long to respond. All of which has nothing to do with you necessarily, especially if you’ve been cordial and respectful in your follow-up. You have a right to be in the feels if someone said “yes” then went quiet. And if the relationship is one you’d like to retain, it may be worth trying to broach the subject gently to check if maybe they had a lot going on they couldn’t verbalize. Something I learned in therapy is sometimes what occurs isn’t because of something you did. But if it is, there’s no harm in asking. If someone isn’t ready to broach that you can’t force it. Take what you need from this situation and try to move on.

People forget, so don’t be afraid to follow-up. A friend of mine totally forgot to give me a blurb because they were so busy with their own book pubbing. They asked me after my book was at the printer if they could provide one and told me they needed reminders in a specific method to remember things. This was helpful for me to know as I had used a method that wasn’t working for them (email). As someone who has had to rethink how to not fall behind on personal email account(s), it made sense to me. I also very much appreciated their candidness about enjoying my book, but simply juggling too much to think about one more thing. (So very, very relatable.) 

Keeping Up Appearances: “But does it look … bad that I don’t have any blurbs?” If you happen to have a physical copy of the short story anthology I edited, Everyday People: The Color of Life, you’ll notice it has no blurbs. Not a one. And that is because my editor never told me I needed to get them, nor did he provide me a deadline or any reminders/inquiries about them. This was my first published book, mind you. I worked full-time mostly in academic publishing at this point. And guess what? We don’t always have blurbs on books in educational publishing! So when I did ask, it was too late. My editor told me he thought I was getting them this whole time. This was just one of several frustrations when it came to not great communication between author and publisher. As an FYI, I didn’t have an agent at the time so I was going solo on this one. And learned a lot. 

Was I pissed? To get colloquial again, hell yes. Because I did know people I could have sent it to who were willing to provide a blurb–or at least consider it. I felt like I was letting the contributors down by not having blurbs. The reviews were positive and, even after my request, my editor didn’t even add those to the back cover. Another frustration. But, at the end of the day, there’s nothing I could do but ask if they could add it to a reprint—the book was a paperback original. (This did not happen either.) Did it ruin Everyday People? Not at all. Did it mean I didn’t have “connections”—I hate that word— or that no one wanted to blurb this title? Nope and nope. It meant I didn’t have blurbs for reasons no one but I cared about in the end. I’m sure blurbs may have helped in some ways. Before the book pubbed I had 12 requests from bookstores to appear, which was because of the talent inside this anthology. I think one reason the editor didn’t make a big deal was because he felt the content would sell itself—and honestly, it should. So I can understand why the S&S imprint is asserting that another task for authors & editors is not the best use of time when we all want to focus on making the best book possible. But again, it’s subjective and dependent. Everyday People continues to have a long life, especially in schools/areas of study and, yes, word-of-mouth. I’m quite proud of that. 

If the blurbs help you feel better about your book because you can look at the praise when everything else may be going haywire, then that’s great! But if you don’t have blurbs, you didn’t fail and certainly shouldn’t feel embarrassed. I honestly don’t even think about that issue with Everyday People anymore. Mainly because the world is cracking like an egg and so am I some days. But really, because it was a moment, I learned from it, and I moved on, as does everyone else. 

Well this was a lengthy post, wasn’t it? I hope the above, along with Rebecca’s thorough post and Jami’s thoughts, are helpful in terms of understanding the blurb process as blurber and requestor. Publishing is already stressful, so please do not freak out or stress over blurbs and how many you do or don’t have. I know receiving them or any type of praise from creatives you admire can be incredibly heartening as you prepare to share something personal and vulnerable in the world. Please don’t hesitate to ask people to engage with your work, simply respect the time it takes to do so. Write (and/or illustrate) the best book possible and continue to build the community that will reciprocate the love you share for this creative life. 

Some Definitions
ARC: Advanced Reader Copy. Early book copies that may not be considered final and are sent out pre-publication for reviews & early buzz. 

Big 5: In the United States, there are 5 major publishing bodies that make up a good portion of sales % in the marketplace. They are: Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster. 

Blurb: An endorsement of one’s work that usually goes on or inside a published book. 

Bound Copy: Manuscript pages bound like a book without a cover (usually 8x11 page size in the U.S.).

Crash: Fast-tracking a project by consolidating due dates for deliverables. In book publishing a crash schedule can be less than 5 months to produce a book from the time the manuscript goes to production to the time it has to be in the warehouse. 

Flagship Imprint: Main imprint (may or may not have the same name). 

Front Matter: Initial pages before the content of the book officially begins that usually includes copyright page, title page(s), dedication, table of contents, epigram, previously published books, etc.

Why I hired an assistant as a debut author.

I guess I’ve been teasing this one since several people have asked me on rotation, “Did you write that piece about hiring an assistant?” Well, I had not, but here it is! 

As you may know, and which I will not hesitate to repeat, 2023 was my debut year for my young adult novel, Forgive Me Not. I had edited an anthology that was released in 2018, but that was and was not the same. I felt like a Mama Bear with Everyday People, whereas I felt like a one-woman enterprise for Forgive Me Not. Hell, it took me 8 years to write the book, no way was I letting this moment pass by in a blur. I took what I learned from Everyday People as well as advice & thoughts from authors who were kind enough to speak to me directly or on my podcast. I blended this up along with my own publishing experience, and decided to roll with it as my pub date was finalized. 

Two things stood at the forefront as I tried to get sorted a year ahead of pub date: (1) I needed help not just with the book stuff, and (2) I didn’t know if a freelance publicist would be the best way to go for me due to #1. I did speak to a few publicists and one even said to me, “I don’t know that I’d do more than your publisher would do for you.” My desire was to get support from someone who would tap into, yet go beyond, book-specific media spaces or opportunities. The several people I spoke with didn’t seem a fit or in one case was well-booked when I circled back, and in another case, if I’m being honest, didn’t express interest in my book at all and took a call as a “favor.” Which really didn’t sit well with me.

Let’s take a beat to reflect on that last sentence, shall we? Lack of (freelance) publicity interest is also something I experienced for Everyday People. I conducted rounds of calls with folx who clearly weren’t into the themes of the book. Which is totally fine. Same as with any partnership, you want to make sure they are a fit for you and vice versa. But me being me, and being a woman of a certain age at this point in my life, to an extent I can appreciate a polite openness to take a call or a consult because this is part of the business. At the same time, I do wonder how everyone’s time may be better spent when it’s clear someone may not have the time or be aligned with the content, and this being said upfront? Don’t @ me, y’all, I’m just asking questions! 

Anywho, mulling on those meetings and the fact that I also did need support for my podcast self—which I was struggling to maintain in 2023 with a new full-time job, freelance projects, and teaching—I decided it’d be best to hire an assistant to collaborate on my ideas alongside my “brand” (it’s so weird for me to say that). 

The Assistant Search & The Role

My pub date was set for mid-August 2023. In mid-April, I put out a call on the interwebs. Facebook was where I received several viable candidate recommendations. I only had the capacity to speak with 5 people total. All wonderful people, but ultimately I hired someone who was in grad school, local, had an open schedule and a deep interest in kidlit, particularly YA, and was well-read in that genre. Plus, she was eager to pursue a full-time career in publishing, specifically editorial. This was all helpful because I didn’t have to explain as much and everything they’d learn would be transferable in some ways to a desired FT pub job. As I considered the people I’d spoken with and what I also had bandwidth for, one friend said to me, “Jenn, I think you may want to also mentor someone.” The person I hired started in early May and a new person transitioned into the role in late September. 

Here’s the gist of what I asked both assistants to help me with from May 2023-February 2024: 

Promotions Support

Copied on all correspondence with my publisher to help receive promotions & other requests and help review items, where necessary

Researching and pitching to relevant media & festivals – My assistant scored me an interview on Pod Save the People, which was nicely done! 

Created a media kit

Created a postcard design and put in a print order for distribution at events 

General Administrative Tasks 

Organizing media received into a spreadsheet, collating all media links, updating book’s web page where necessary 

Creating a spreadsheet of festivals in the Northeast for pitching/submissions 

Podcast Help

Reviewing transcriptions for posting

Hired someone to redo podcast logo for 10th anniversary 

Communications - Main contact on all things book related. Attended some in-person events and took photos/video  

(Light) Social Media - I handled all my personal social media and when I needed more of this for the podcast post-pub, which wasn’t of interest and not part of the job upfront. I would say, if you do need social media help, hire someone who loves doing this and can help make a content calendar to start.  

I paid $30/hour at 15 hours a week max, the hourly rate was negotiable based on experience. I also covered costs for local travels to events, say a visit to my publisher to do a video or for a local festival, and we met virtually every week, if not every other week, to go over ideas and actions. (If they traveled for something I asked them to invoice another hour to cover food or I paid for the meal.) The assistant set their own hours, which were usually during the day and we had a formal contract for a specific amount of time that was open to extension by agreement from both parties. I also set up their own email account, which I did not have access to during their tenure. This way they could work freely and keep this role separate from their personal account. (Once each person departed, I was given the password and security login to be able to share with the next assistant as well as have access to files they created.)  

In terms of costs out of pocket, both assistants came under the hourly cap (of 15 hours) every week. Overall, I compensated both assistants no more than $6,000 for 9-10 months of contracted work.

Should I hire a (book) publicist? 

As an author, well as a person, consider what you need. Is it solely publicity contacts & media visibility if it happens that your publisher won’t be able to do this for your book? Kathleen Schmidt notes things to consider when hiring a publicist on her substack. (Poets & Writers also has some good posts on publicity, but these are subscription based.) Consults may be free or there may be a fee, this is their time too, so account for that and have your Qs ready. Also, know your budget upfront. As others have written, the price of a freelance publicist can cost thousands of dollars for a span of a few months depending on their campaign lengths. Yes, I said thousands, and so did Kathleen. And that’s just publicity. Publicity is the media, we’re not even talking marketing, which is different. If you want to work with someone who can do both or specialists in either area, we’re talking money.

Do I want to brand myself?

If so, that may well be a different type of PR person (or agency), not a book publicist, per se, but someone who understands more about personal or business brand management/strategy. And in the case of “brands” they may also have some social media/design capabilities as well. 

But, if you’re thinking “outside the box” and want to go beyond book specific media/placement, I’d encourage you to ask a publicist, or anyone, if they can do this and what that entails, especially in relation to the content of your book. Currently, I’m meeting with people for administrative support now that my paperback is out. My main asks this time include research, partnerships, pitching, and social media planning. I am paying more per hour ($35-40) based on experience. And I still only have bandwidth to talk with 3-4 people for consideration despite many wonderful resumes sent my way.  

From Forgive Me Not’s hardcover pub date to now, it was very important to me that more social justice spaces engage with this book where applicable and, of course, young readers who are at the center. Publishers may or may not be able to do this when we dig into specific content. A mission-based publisher may already have this as part of their strategy. Everyone has their own set of contacts that may or may not overlap from your book publicist to a freelance publicist. Which is why it was very helpful that one publicist said to me that she didn’t know if she’d help me in the ways I wanted and conveyed that she had similar contacts to my publisher. I deeply appreciated her honesty. 

In the end…

The biggest benefits of hiring an assistant for me was simply having help. There were so many things on my list I needed someone who understood how each task was helping set up my whole “brand” (still not used to saying that) as well as providing them a front-seat view of how the publication process worked. On top of that both assistants read my book and told me they enjoyed it. What was so nice is their moms also purchased my book because they were excited their offspring was working in “the biz.” 

If you’re hiring anyone to help you, be it for book-related stuff or not, deeply reflect on what would be of most help to you. Sometimes this becomes more apparent post-hire or earlier on in the interview process as you hear more about their background and expertise/interests. Make a list of what you’d like to take off your plate and what you’d like to compensate someone to aid with. We outsource a lot already, but if you can also make this a role that aids someone eager to get into, or interested in, the same industry this can be a win-win for both parties. If you need help with emails or travel arrangements, add that to the list, and be specific on security of funds. If you need help with researching places to pitch, add that. And make sure you’re upfront about what this would be as I was. (Both assistants knew one would be helping more pre-pub and the other post-pub.) Also, feel free to ask what others have needed when they hired assistants for specific areas of their life/work. 

Some other practical and maybe obvious things? 

Have a contract that outlines all the things: payment structure/rates, duties, timeframe of work, confidentiality, responsibilities between both parties, and termination. (My contract clearly states both parties can terminate at any time and there’s a confidentiality clause in terms of sharing any of my work they have access to.)

Also, be clear on goals as well as performance. How will you let someone go if things don’t work out?  

Be prepared to send a 1099-NEC in January to ensure they have a tax record and you do as well—hiring NEC is considered a tax write-off for you in terms of your business as an author. (You will need their SSN or EIN and mailing address.) 

Estimate & budget how long you’d want someone to be on board. If you want to reup, do so (add that as a clause)! That way if you have 2 months and find you’re vibing, extend for longer. But again, be clear on what this will look like, how you’ve set them up to help you, and how frequently you’ll need support.

Okay, that was a lengthy, but I hope helpful post! 

PS: I’d like to post more regularly this year about things that would be helpful to you! If you have a question I may be able to help with, lemme know in the comments. 

Fave Reads of 2023 (#Bestof2023)

I got to read for pleasure again in 2023! What a concept, y’all. And I am hoping to do more pleasure reading in 2024. Since 2020, my reading has been impacted due to (a) pandemic, duh; (b) not traveling to an office job during the week, which is where I did most of my reading; and (c) job stuff—be it acquiring/editing full-time and/or teaching. And one cannot forget the release of my own book at the end of last summer as well as judging for the PEN Awards from the end of 2022 to the beginning of 2023. All said, I decided to keep my reading goals on the low side. For me that meant 40 books. I ended up reading 44, maybe 45 or more if you count the books I didn’t quite finish but made a good dent in by the end of the calendar year. Yet again, one of my biggest regrets reading-wise is that I didn’t get to read as much poetry as I would have liked. I did binge a few graphic novels the last two months. I love me some graphic novels; they’re a great way to learn more about pacing and storyboarding for one’s own work. As I often say, you can learn from every genre

Now, do I have stacks upon stacks of books all around me in my home office? Absolutely! Will I be buying even more books in 2024 on top of the stacks piling up that need homes on shelves? You’re damn right, I will, because: solidarity and this is my brand, after all. 

If you’ve read some or all or most of these books, I’d love to hear your thoughts (and recs)! Below are my fave reads of 2023, in no particular order:

If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie (2023) - This is such a sweet campus love story between two gals who aren’t always the best communicators when it comes to relationships, especially since they’re both new to them. Momo and PG have their meet-cute a couple times before descending into a deep friendship that’s more than that. If You’ll Have Me has laughs and a lot of tender moments, especially with how Eunnie illustrates the main characters’ past heartbreaks leading to their present actions. 

Mexikid by Pedro Martín (2023) - I was laughing SO much when I read Mexikid on my way back from NCTE this year and gobbled it up as soon as I landed. Martín creates such a layered story of a family trip encompassing a learning experience for the characters, namely about one another, as well as how a big family shows love in different ways while coming to understand more about their heritage. If you follow Martín’s IG account (mexikidstories) you’ll see that he has mini comics about his childhood as well, so this graphic novel is a great culmination of what readers have been introduced to online. 

Blackbirds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert (2021) - Colbert’s award-winning nonfiction account of the Tulsa Massacre is a great book, not only for young readers but those of us at every age. Colbert doesn’t spare the details and provides a wealth of facts around how white supremacy led to the slaughter of hundreds of Black people and a Black town. Building the story from a lot of pieces that constitute the whole to the glaring omission of this massacre from not only local but national discussions, makes this an essential read. Particularly with what we’re seeing in our news media and globally now, Blackbirds can help articulate to younger readers current discussions of occupation, colonization, and persecution, in addition to the bias in media that can skew stories with even a headline.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (2020) - Not only was, am, I on a graphic novel kick, I’m also digging the rom-coms! I was in Chicago this summer and a wonderful bookseller at Unabridged Bookstore suggested Alexis Hall to me when I mentioned I was eager for a book that was along the lines of Casey McQuiston’s work. Boyfriend Material didn’t disappoint! Now the premise may seem a little Hallmark (no shade) though the execution is completely hilarious and sweet. Luc is dealing with straight up homophobia at his job along with his former “bad boy persona” due to a jerkwad ex who sold bits of their story to the tabloids—something that continues to haunt Luc. (His dad is a famous rock musician, by the way.) So he enlists a handsome guy he hates, and thinks dislikes him, named Oliver who is the creme de la creme of partners. What ensues is shenanigans! And there’s a follow-up to this one so you can figure out how it ends, but the journey is one you wanna be on the ride for.

I’m From by Gary R. Gray Jr. & Oge Mora (2023) - You’re gonna see a few picture books on this list and Gary R. Gray Jr & Oge Mora’s collaboration, I’m From, is one of the most endearing and celebratory (picture) books I had the chance to read recently. I’m From gives testament and love to the small things like getting a nice shape up to the food and community that makes us who we are. It’s Black joy personified! Pick this one up if you haven’t and listen to Gary’s podcast, It’s Personal. As a fellow podcaster I have a lot of admiration for anyone who has a job, creates, and provides space for creators to talk about work.

We the Animals by Justin Torres (2011) - Alright, it took me a while to read this one solely because it was in one of those TBR stacks! Newly minted National Book Award winner, Justin Torres’ debut is a taut and teachable (I love using it for workshops) book with such strength in it’s depth and conciseness. Each chapter feels like a complete scene and a full-fledged moment building to the next, and the shift in POV is also something to learn from. To master such a story of a young man, let alone a family, in less than 200 pages??? Sir! (slow clap) It will not take me a decade to read Torres’ latest Blackouts. The experimental style he brings to his current book is a model for authors to see there are no bounds to our stories. 

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (2020) - Back on the rom-com train! I’d been hearing about Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters series and wanted to dig in. So I was delightfully enchanted with the sexual energy between Danika Brown and hunky former rugby player Zafir. Little does Dani know Zafir has had a thing for her for a while, and little does Zafir know, Dani has some commitment issues—due to, you guessed it, a jerkwad ex! Anywho, similar to Boyfriend Material the two act as a couple to help Zafir earn some visibility (and donations) for a charity he runs. And, as you can imagine, things get salacious when they let their true feelings float to the surface. A super funny and spicy read. 

BIG by Vashti Harrison (2023) - I will be shouting from the rooftops how much I love Big! When I first heard about Harrison’s new picture book I thought it was about a young Black girl growing up. Well, it is and isn’t. This is about how a young Black girl’s body can start to be policed and at such a young age based on problematic societal expectations. Big is sparse in words, so this may be great for reading time and an opportunity to explore with younger readers the impact of each page/spread. On IG, Vashti explains a bit about her methodology & intention especially with the use of colors like “husky gray.” As I noted with Torres, sparseness can be impactful in so many ways. A book like Big is one you have to take in each page slowly to see how every aspect builds the whole, which is what you should do with any illustrated work, and yet in this one it feels even more potent. Ten-ten recommend! 

Tangled Up in Mayhem by Merrill Wyatt (2023) - I got an early read of this one and I thought it was so fun! (See a theme this year?) This is a middle grade mystery series where two besties, Sloane and Amelia, are trying to up their YouTube docuseries game. (They have an account where they record the cases they solve.) They get hired by one of their foes’—yes even tweens have foes—parents to try and find a valuable artifact in an amusement park. Of course trouble ensues when the girls find out there’s more than meets the eye with this job. Tie in some grandma’s with klepto tendencies, their foes unexpected arrival at the park, some creepy figure bumping around in the night, and you have a quirky series with twists, turns, and characters’ building deeper family connections. 

Dyke (geology) by Sabrina Imbler (2021) - I was introduced to Imbler’s work because they’re one of this year’s recipients of the National Book Award Science & Literature prize. And Dyke has that lovely and brilliant duality of merging the personal with the geological and environmental–much like Imbler’s current book, How Far the Light Reaches, that you can also hear me gush about on the Literary Arts podcast, The Archive Project (TAP)! In some ways, Dyke reminds me of Mean by Myriam Gurba with the direct correlations, research, and confrontation of feelings and societal “norms” and others expectations as we build on our own. Imbler’s voice deftly weaves so much into a chapbook that you can read it over and over again, absorbing the potency of each line. I behoove you to pick this one and How Far the Light Reaches up.  

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (2020) - The hype is real with this one. Good Indians was one of those books I heard about nonstop in 2020, especially since it won so many awards. When I had a chance to read it for a Center for Fiction reading group, I made sure to add it to the list. And it did not disappoint. Character and voice are some of my biggest go-tos and this novel had it all with A LOT of creepy stuff in-between. A haunting impacts four friends who reside on or have left their reservation. One-by-one they’re impacted in ways you wouldn’t expect. By the end of Jones’ novel you’re wondering who will be left standing and what this means for the legacy these characters were trying to carry on in the first place. I’d love to write more, but I want you to come into it cold just like I did so you can experience it all first-hand. So please go read and then come talk to me about it! 

Shutter by Ramona Emerson (2022) - Longlisted for the National Book Award and a finalist for a PEN Award, Emerson’s Shutter is another title I was completely absorbed by and am teaching whenever I get the chance. One of my favorite parts of Emerson’s novel is how she builds parallel storylines until they meet, reflecting the past (in the types of doodads she uses to take photos) to the present mystery of a woman who was killed but won’t leave forensic photographer Rita Todacheene alone. As in, Rita is not getting any peace thanks to her ability to communicate with the non-living, so factor that in for years with her gift and you have a lot of stuff going on. Much is at stake for Rita from her sanity & health to her job to potential corruption within the ranks of her police department. This is not only a top-notch thriller, it’s a nuanced exploration of how much follows us when we refuse to face the truth.  

The People Remember by Ibi Zoboi and Loveis Wise (2021) - Yay picture books! Zoboi and Wise collaborated on this immersive and vivid picture book on Black history as well as how the tenets of Kwanzaa have always been crucial parts of Black culture. From the Kingdom of Dahomey to the impact of the Voting Rights Act to the election of Barack Obama and ongoing protests for Black lives, The People Remember is a testament to thriving, fighting, and loving ourselves and our community. 

And of course this list wouldn’t be complete without some additional book recommendations of some wonderful titles! So make sure to check out: 

John Manuel Arias’ Where There Was Fire, Agustina Bazterrica’s Tender Is the Flesh, Huda Fahmy’s Huda F Cares?, Scaachi Koul’s One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter, Glenis Redmond’s The Listening Skin, Ari Tison’s Saints of the Household, and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela.

How to Help Authors Pre-Pub and Beyond

Hi everyone! My name is Emma and I am assisting Jenn this summer as she prepares for the publication of Forgive Me Not. Both as Jenn’s assistant and as an avid reader, I have often wondered what the best ways to help authors were. Luckily, there were a number of resources available online that allowed me to compile a list! While this is by no means an exhaustive summary, it should help you out if you’ve ever had the same question.

Ways to Help Authors Pre-Pub and Beyond…

Purchase: Most important…buy the book. Pre-orders help a lot and even after sales are important for hardcovers and paperbacks. Any and all sales help and it’s great to support indie bookstores that contribute to the community. If you can purchase, pick whichever means works best for you. Giveaways are also great because there’s potential to get copies to readers who may not have access. 

Libraries: Alternatively, you can request a copy from your local library or donate a copy to your library. Book circulation can help with local awards and may encourage more purchases through the library system.

Media: If you have ties to media, this is a superb way to help. Authors may not have reach outside of their region or could use wider visibility. Podcasts, radio, digital or print spaces help a lot with visibility as part of promotions. Book lists, essays, interviews, reviews, are just some of the typical ways books get attention. These may be book-specific spaces, but book themes can resonate on various platforms and reach listeners (aka potential readers). 

Virtual Parties: Consider attending or hosting a virtual (or in-person) pre-order party. These events can include readings, activities, or games to help promote the book. Another route is a launch party that is less formal and more fun where you can connect with readers and collaborate with other authors to brainstorm new ideas to celebrate. 

Social Media: Follow the author on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, BlueSky, or wherever else we may be and share their content. If authors share graphics it can be helpful to amplify on the day of publication and thereafter.

Reviews: Post the books online—and write a review! Many factors go into book sales, but word-of-mouth can be a driving factor. Posting a review of the book to Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, or your preferred social media channel goes a long way and helps raise the book’s profile in searches. 

Mailing Lists: Join mailing lists from authors and publishers that interest you, which may be the easiest way to get updates versus social media posts. Mailing lists send news, like upcoming releases, right to your inbox. 

Award Nominations: Winning or being nominated for an award can make a huge difference for an author. While the majority of well-known literary awards are not open to reader nominations or voting, the ones that are depend on your participation and can help bring visibility to audiences that may not have been aware of your book. (Goodreads, Shimmy Awards, Eisner, are just some up for voting or nominations.)  

Schools: School connections can be incredibly helpful, especially in the kidlit market. If you are an educator or have connections to any schools or work with programs that do author visits, ask if there is potential for a book event. Universities are also great for potential adoptions. Authors can coordinate with their School & Library teams and collaborating with department heads and program directors can be a great connection.

Readings/Events: Reading series or other events, especially ones that sell copies. Does their book also fit with an event you’re planning or a panel you’re proposing? Are you part of a festival that can help support an author or connect them with new readers? Is there a talk or conference where their book or presence may make a splash? Is this an event where books may be sold? If so it may be helpful to add to sales or negotiate fees versus sales for a speaking engagement. (Keep in mind many authors do pay for their own travels. It may be worth checking with an author on whether they’ll receive support or you can provide this for an appearance.)

Swag: If you’re the visually creative type, creating swag like postcards or fan art or stickers or other goodies, can help as a pre-order perk for the author to incite interest. 

Partnerships: Are there thematic elements that may work with a company or organization to package the book or bring an author in as a speaker? Would a local BIPOC-owned winery help make a cocktail and collaborate on promotion? Are their organizations that work with communities depicted in the book and may engage with it that you can plan a learning event around? 

Book Clubs/Reading Groups: If you’re part of an active bookclub consider nominating the book to discuss, especially in paperback since those sales are helpful and books tend to get less publicity/marketing, if any, for the paperback that comes out after a hardcover.

Fave Reads of 2022 (#Bestof2022)

Welp, I started many books but didn’t finish a ton. And I read many manuscripts so I can say with confidence there are so many good books coming out soon! I’m really hoping 2023 is the year I get back into the full swing of reading (and finishing) books so I can get back to my 50 book a year minimum.

Of the titles I did read this year there were most definitely standouts and those I’m still finishing as we flipped the calendar. Here’s a handful of goodness I hope you may take a look at because they’re definitely worthwhile!

Lone Women by Victor LaValle (2023): Masterclass, I tell you. Master. Class in pacing, story building, suspense, description. All of it. LaValle’s sentences are tight and his chapters even tighter. There’s so much tension carried throughout and there’s a payoff of retribution in many ways. The writing is stellar, as we’ve all come to expect from LaValle and I simply can’t get over how much was packed into these short chapters! Between this and All the Light We Cannot See I’m like “How do y’all do this?!” Anywho, this is a goody and I was super glad that I got a sneak peak. Make sure to pre-order!

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes (2019): I read Grimes’ memoir in verse while on a retreat to finish my book at Highlights. I happened to be in the cabin named after this literary legend and so had the treat of many of her books being available on the shelves. Grimes’ is able to really balance some heavy moments with so much levity and ends on a beautiful note of when she finds her voice as a poet/writer. I think this was such an expertly handled memoir in general let alone one designed for young readers.

A Career in Books written & illustrated by Kate Gavino (2022): Make sure to check out my interview with Kate on the MiP podcast (episode 120). If you have been thinking about getting into the editorial side of publishing or currently are, especially as a recent grad, then this book is for you! (It’s for everyone, but you’ll for sure relate when you delve in if you know the biz.) Three gals from AAPI backgrounds and besties to the end set out for their dream jobs in publishing, or is this their dream job? There are challenges for each, yet the biggest connector is friendship—and eats!

Rivermouth by Alejandra Oliva (2023): I admittedly got a chance to see an early version of this one and I will happily proclaim that Oliva’s debut memoir and exploration of immigration is fantastic. The lyricism, the structure, the focus. This is amazing! If you’ve had the pleasure of reading Oliva’s essays you’ll see how confident and assured her voice is, which for this upcoming narrative (and narratives within) is truly a testament to how we can look inward and outward and brilliantly weave the complications of it all. Make sure to preorder!

And I also very much recommend The Furrows, the second novel by one of my fave contemporary writers Namwali Serpell!

Fave Reads of 2022

Welp, I started many books but didn’t finish a ton. And I read many manuscripts so I can say with confidence there are so many good books coming out soon! I’m really hoping 2023 is the year I get back into the full swing of reading (and finishing) books so I can get back to my 50 book a year minimum.

Of the titles I did read this year there were most definitely standouts and those I’m still finishing as we flipped the calendar. Here’s a handful of goodness I hope you may take a look at because they’re definitely worthwhile!

Lone Women by Victor LaValle (2023): Masterclass, I tell you. Master. Class in pacing, story building, suspense, description. All of it. LaValle’s sentences are tight and his chapters even tighter. There’s so much tension carried throughout and there’s a payoff of retribution in many ways. The writing is stellar, as we’ve all come to expect from LaValle and I simply can’t get over how much was packed into these short chapters! Between this and All the Light We Cannot See I’m like “How do y’all do this?!” Anywho, this is a goody and I was super glad that I got a sneak peak. Make sure to pre-order!

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes (2019): I read Grimes’ memoir in verse while on a retreat to finish my book at Highlights. I happened to be in the cabin named after this literary legend and so had the treat of many of her books being available on the shelves. Grimes’ is able to really balance some heavy moments with so much levity and ends on a beautiful note of when she finds her voice as a poet/writer. I think this was such an expertly handled memoir in general let alone one designed for young readers.

A Career in Books written & illustrated by Kate Gavino (2022): Make sure to check out my interview with Kate on the MiP podcast (episode 120). If you have been thinking about getting into the editorial side of publishing or currently are, especially as a recent grad, then this book is for you! (It’s for everyone, but you’ll for sure relate when you delve in if you know the biz.) Three gals from AAPI backgrounds and besties to the end set out for their dream jobs in publishing, or is this their dream job? There are challenges for each, yet the biggest connector is friendship—and eats!

Rivermouth by Alejandra Oliva (2023): I admittedly got a chance to see an early version of this one and I will happily proclaim that Oliva’s debut memoir and exploration of immigration is fantastic. The lyricism, the structure, the focus. This is amazing! If you’ve had the pleasure of reading Oliva’s essays you’ll see how confident and assured her voice is, which for this upcoming narrative (and narratives within) is truly a testament to how we can look inward and outward and brilliantly weave the complications of it all. Make sure to preorder!

And I also very much recommend The Furrows, the second novel by one of my fave contemporary writers Namwali Serpell!

Fave Reads of 2021 (#Bestof2021)

Hot dang! I’m actually getting this list out top of the year! [high five]

So, same as in 2020, I had a hard time reading steadily and regularly in 2021. That’s because (a) pandemic, (b) new job as an acquisitions editor, (c) working from home still, (d) finishing my own book, and (e) I left my role as contributing editor at Electric Lit (see b as the reason) and so I wasn’t reading as many galleys for new reads as per usual. Was I reading? Absolutely! But was I reading for funsies? Not as much. No daily commute means once again irregular reading time. I gotta say, as much as I dislike the MTA (I stand by those words) I got a good 2 hours or more of reading in Monday through Friday when I worked as a production editor in uptown Manhattan. That commute shortened with my new job in early 2020 and then all together went away once working from home became a, lucky, reality for many of us. It is a bit harder for me to read at home though I tried to rectify this in part with a new velvet reading chair! Here’s a link to it. (Thanks to Ebony Elizabeth Thomas for the inspiration!). And end of year I did actively take the week + off to just read and veg and write all for fun! Imagine that?!

As I say, to myself, every year I have no idea what 2022 will bring! If all bodes well my own book will be coming out in fall as will one of my first acquisitions as a new editor. So I expect busy times and maybe even less time for pleasure reading, but when I do get to read for pleasure it is indeed gratifying. Of the books I did get to read, I’d like to share some of my faves with you. Without further ado…

Circe by Madeline Miller (2018): Friends had been raving about this book all year. When folx hype stuff up I get a bit nervous because you’re going in with a lot of anticipation rather than as a blank slate. But, Circe did not disappoint! In fact I started it during Thanksgiving break thinking I would get in a chapter every few days. But I was unable to put it down, spending full evenings reading through. The prose is impeccable, the details luscious, the story fantastic. This is the book you should use as a teaching model for details and also character growth. It is SO good. Y’all read it. Just read it and re-read it now, for your own good. I now have Song of Achilles and cannot wait to savor that.

I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat: Stories by Chris Gonzalez (2021): Gotta love friends debut years! This taut flash fiction collection from Gonzalez provides just the taste (pun intended) of stories to savor about so many facets of being. My favorite was “Here’s the Situation.” The stylings of this are absolutely something to learn from. Definitely get this collection and absorb these stories in one gulp or bit by bit—hey more food puns!

Born on the Water: The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, & Nikkolas Smith (2021): The collaborative development of this picture book is gorgeous from the poetics and love within the text to the vibrant illustrations. The trio of Hannah-Jones, Watson, and Smith make sure to convey light and darkness in real ways both textually and visually. I hope ALL kids/families get this book on their shelves and read it over and over and over again.

Catrachos: Poems by Roy G. Guzmán (2020): The experimental stylings in format and style really do bring together so many elements and voices and perspectives throughout. These are poems to be savored and each piece builds so well into a satisfying whole of a collection.

Bastards of the Reagan Era: Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts (2015): Y’all need to read this collection! I also requested folx in a criminal justice reading group read some of these poems because Betts really brings you into the heart and mind of a system and the people within it. From varying POVs the truth is never lost and what more can you ask for in great art but an inherent truth?

The Creature of Habit by Jennifer E. Smith & Leo Espinosa (2021): This was one of the last books I got to work on when I was part of the Random House Studio team and it’s adorable! Leo Espinosa’s artwork always makes me smile. It’s so bright and the fuzzy wuzzy Creature of Habit is adorable! Plus it has the sweetest lesson when he makes a new friend.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (2021) : The latest from McQuiston is so good! It’s funny, heartwarming, sensual, and all that good stuff! And McQuiston did their diligence when it came to NYC subway research, appreciate that. The building romance between Jane and August, plus the family dynamics of August’s roommates leaves you rooting for everyone.

Mean by Myriam Gurba (2017): One of my first reads of 2021, Gurba’s hybrid work of nonfiction captures her voice, her experiences, and the exhilaration as well as the (unwanted) expectations/affections when growing up femme. I love Gurba’s writing in general and Mean blew me away showing what’s possible. Let us all embrace short texts that pack a punch.

Books I also read and eagerly enjoyed in 2021 include Hoodwitch: Poems by Faylita Hicks (2019), Pedro’s Theory by Marcos Gonsalez (2021), Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020), What Will My Story Be? by Nidhi Chanani (2021), and Mutiny: Poems by Phillip B. Williams (2021), Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly (2022).

Happy Reading!

Fave Reads of 2020 (#Bestof2020)

I did mean to publish this end of 2020/early 2021. I had 80% of it drafted and everything, y’all! As the saying goes: better late than never. So here are my faves of 2020.

#

From 2020 draft: I’m gonna say something similar that many have said this year: I had a hard time. With a lot of things but especially my tried & true love: reading. Jess Zimmerman at Electric Literature wrote a really good post about having a hard time reading due to the events of 2020 that are also bleeding into 2021 and will be in our psyche for a long while.

Now, I did start and stop many books. Some that I just didn’t have the bandwidth to finish due to content but were/are great reads and others I just wasn’t feeling and gave up on 50 or more pages in. If I had included those my tally would’ve been 50+, which is still less than my 62 aim for 2020. Perhaps next year I’ll go above and beyond my goal or perhaps I won’t and may get stymied from our current situation extending. Who knows? I do know that by not reading, notice the dearth of poetry on this list (sigh), really hampered my own creativity. I get SO much inspiration from arts and not being able to go to museums or live shows, socialize, or read steadily/daily impeded other ways I was absorbing methods for my own artistic expression. TV and film can do but so much. And a hope I have for 2021 is to not only be healthier by moving/exercising more in my current WFH life but to also carve out time to read at least 45 minutes a day to help get the mind percolating. Wish me luck! Now on to some of my favorite reads of 2020.

The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams (2020): I believe this may have been one of the first books I read start to finish in 2020 and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The premise had me intrigued and the writing dug the hooks in so that I couldn’t stop. I even wrote an essay about the themes in Illness Lesson because Beams’ prose really tapped into how much the world can beat you down and make you second guess yourself.

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry (2020): I am a huge fan of Mabry’s National Book Award longlisted YA novel All the Wind in the World. So I was pleasantly surprised when I received a copy of her latest book smack dab at the start of quarantine. This was one of the first books I read start to finish once quarantine was officially in play throughout the United States and Mabry did not disappoint! Mabry’s writing is always excellent and her sentences are to be savored. Get this one if you hadn’t already.

Class Act by Jerry Craft (2020): I wouldn’t dare compare the bestselling Class Act to the bestselling/award-winning New Kid because they stand solidly on their own. This was exactly the type of book I needed during quarantine. Graphic novels in general have, finally, been more sought out by major publishers. And I’m glad because books that combine humor, commentary, and put you at ease like this one are really great for kids, especially Black kids, to have when times are dreary.

Twins by Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright (2020): As I mentioned, I craved graphic novels as we headed into fall and several months in quarantine. I needed the visuals and “lighter” fare. So you’ll see a few on this list because I wanted more and more. I loved the sisterly bonds in Twins and how their love for each other, even as they were coming into their own never wavered.

A Is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A to Z by John Robert Allman and Peter Emmerich (2019): Emmerich’s illustrations really make this book for me, no offense to the wonderful rhyme from Allman, connecting each letter and person(s). It’s so vibrant and encapsulates the beauty of Broadway that I miss so much. Whether you’re a fan of Broadway or not I highly suggest this book as a celebration of women in the arts.

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans (2020): I’m a big fan of short stories and wish I had been able to read more or had more on my radar. Either way, Evans’ latest was a great read utilizing humor and reality and, on occasion, turning the world on its head slightly to show how what we’re dealing with now has been part of a larger history. Read this and her debut Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self ASAP if you hadn’t already.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020): One of the biggest bestsellers of 2020, Bennett’s second novel was one everyone heard about. And it is a lovely and piercing read. Switching POVs over time—and you know I love multi-POV stories—as well as looking at passing and giving us a bit more context from a contemporary lens, though a good chunk of the story is in the past/recent past, outside the Harlem Renaissance tomes, Bennett’s look at two sister’s choices in how to live their lives doesn’t skirt hard truths.

Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Pierce (2019): Another graphic novel! And a fun one to a bestselling series from Pierce. Max and his merry friends are on a mission and it’s great to see a kind of Scooby Doo gang vibe in this medieval look at young people finding their destinies. Super cute and funny.

How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang (2020): Longlisted for the Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, Zhang’s debut is phenomenal and a great first read of 2020. I’m hoping we’ll see a worthy adaptation of this to the screen because Zhang’s storytelling is absolutely cinematic.

Running by Natalia Sylvester (2020): Sylvester’s YA debut is just the book we need. As the daughter of a conservative politician comes into her own politics and beliefs there’s a lot to traverse. You can love folx and also disagree but this is hard. How much have people sacrificed for other’s dreams and what about broaching hard conversations? In Running, there are no easy answers, which is why I love this book and what it provides for young readers who are more politically aware than I was at their age.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi (2020): As always Emezi’s prose is pristine, taut, and emotionally charged. The beauty of Vivek Oji is the love for a character we know from the start will pass, but has such a bright life on the page as a corporeal being and in the after life.

Other enjoyable reads in 2020 include: Real Life by Brandon Taylor, Memorial by Bryan Washington, Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

Happy reading!

A (Link) Compilation of 2021 Book Releases by BIPOC

Because I obviously like adding things to my plate, figuratively and in reality, I was attempting to create a master list (originally calendar) of books publishing in 2021 by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Of course, I am not the first, nor the last, person to come up with this idea or attempt it. Rather than create another space for this information why not compile the work so many considerate people are doing?

As it should have always been, representation is more and more part of everyday public discussion in the arts and in general. Something people come to me and many others for is a kind of one-stop-shopping for “diverse” candidates for jobs, a master list of books by [insert underrepresented group here], materials to learn more about representation in general. Guess what, friends? There is no master list for one’s sudden interest in underrepresented communities and the artists/artistry created over the years! This is where research and work is involved. [vent over] Anywho, in the case of at least 2021 book releases—and hopefully going forward—I can maintain create a list of those lists by compiling these materials together rather than them existing piecemeal. (It’s a start, but seriously still do the work y’all.)

So here’s my addition in this regard. I’m going to list this in two parts. One is the Survey to create these lists. Most of these are Google Surveys, the one I began included, so you can add your info if you’re part of the applicable group(s). The second are the List(s)/Threads itself when available because that’s what you’re truly after, right? Right!

I’ll update this post with more as they come to my attention. If a survey/list you created is not currently listed and you’d like it to be, I’ll update it as long as you supply the links, please & thank you.

SURVEYS (For inputting information)

Survey for BIPOC Creator 2021 Book Releases (by moi): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgVAvbCQ2dUMacDMqdsQH3j_QNrVATEFhWUAmusSltURr8uA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2pKg8W2ZXNH_yG-PeOfL0qxpQVyJbrUC-iOJeGGhvAe_ZuTnd-sBuqOYU

***Survey for Kwame Mbalia’s Black Author List for 2021: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVIEAdui-ZgG7S-5HrvWPOsoUnSzF5plqj8nvH1qitS99daw/viewform

Survey for MGinColor’s Release Calendar for 2021: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRLQUJ-QyOKK8FQ5nOTjajj5vjgIeYd4M5GY7awOpo7rVK_w/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1gnyJ8KAnO3d7PUD5ognHDl-6qYP8U8GFsd8G65Ge5OFk0U7kzJp94sfo

Survey for Latinx in Kidlit’s 2021 Latinx Book Releases: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXaPUDVtot0bQ-GPpZbA1_myNhbl76vlTLljHXrsNIIomF5Q/viewform

LIST (Info for 2021 publications as spreadsheets, Twitter threads, or other)

Spreadsheet of results for BIPOC Creator 2021 Book Releases (by moi): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lGN5rniq4-28XkCH0ekRj7ns6RtKGyCDqNLEflnfYUI/edit?usp=sharing

Isa’s Twitter thread of “Books by Authors of Color Coming Out in 2021”: https://twitter.com/sapphiccordelia/status/1326711653568745472

Goodreads List of 2021 Books by Black Authors: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/151848.2021_Books_by_Black_authors

Goodreads List of 2021 Books by Women of Color: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/154054.2021_Books_by_Women_of_Color

Queer Adult SFF 2021 List: https://twitter.com/KA_Doore/status/1341698161623101440?s=20

* The MGinColor and Latinx in Kidlit lists will be out in 2021 and I will add those once they’re released.

***Per Kwame Mbalia’s tweet here, the releases will be compiled into weekly lists rather than one big spreadsheet.

And here’s some non-BIPOC Specific Book Lists that DO include BIPOC. I figure I’ll also them even if there’s overlap.

The Rumpus’s What to Read When 2021 Is Just Around the Corner

Time’s Most Anticipated Books of 2021

PopSugar’s Best New Books Coming Out in 2021

Oprah Magazine’s 55 Most Anticipated Books of 2021

Oprah Magazine’s 27 Most Anticipated Romance Novels of 2021

Oprah Magazine’s 32 LGBTQ Books of 2021

Oprah Magazine’s 27 Most Anticipated Historical Novels of 2021

Again, if you have created and/or know any other lists prioritizing BIPOC authors pubbing in 2021 please do share!