March Part Two 2021 News, Deals, Reveals, & More

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Melanin in YA News

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Melanin in YA launched Book Profiles! There are currently a handful of book profiles published and more will be available every week, so be sure to keep checking Melanin in YA! If you have a book request for a title released prior to 2021, please email info@melanininya.com.
To see the latest virtual events coming up, be sure to visit the Events page!

Book Deals

Charles A. Bush sold their debut, a contemporary novel, EVERY VARIABLE OF US coming 2022 from Flux.

Zion Clark sold a three-book deal at auction for their autobiography set to releases in 2022 and two photo essay books co-written by James S. Hirsch including ZION UNMATCHED set for 2021 release from Candlewick.

Kelis Rowe sold a two-book deal for their debut contemporary romance, FINDING JUPITER coming summer 2022 and summer 2023 from Crown.

Publisher Breakdown 2021 So Far

Available to Substack Newsletter Subscribers

International Deals

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson is releasing in France this June!

Cover Reveals

Entertainment Weekly unveiled the cover for WHY WE FLY by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal (October 5, 2021)

Tiffany D. Jackson unveiled the cover for WHITE SMOKE, out September 14, 2021

Bestseller Lists

NYT: STAMPED by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds has been on the NYT List for one year! Congratulations!

COSMIC QUERIES by Neil DeGrasse Tyson with James Trefil debuted at #5 on the list.

Awards/Honors

ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Abike-Iyimide is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

CLAP WHEN YOU LAND by Elizabeth Acevedo has been shortlisted for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal. The novel also won two 2021 Audie Awards for the audiobook, narrated by the author and Melania-Luisa Marte in the Young Adult Category and Multi-Voiced Performance Category.

Barnes & Noble has announced the Children’s & YA Book Awards Shortlist which includes FELIX EVER AFTER by Kacen Callender, THE BLACK KIDS by Christina Hammonds Reed, and PUNCHING THE AIR Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam.

Victoria Aveyard recommend A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown and Joya Goffney recommended HAPPILY EVER AFTERS by Elise Bryant in Entertainment Weekly.

RAYBEARER by Jordan Ifueko is a 2020 Nebula Awards Finalist for The Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction!

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson is a 2021 Lambda Literary Award Finalist i the LGBTQ Young Adult Category.

MEET CUTE DIARY by Emery Lee is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

More Updates

Faridah Abike-Iyimide got the Bratz Doll treatment for her character, Chiamaka Adebayo, who can be seen in her upcoming debut ACE OF SPADES.

Tomi Adeyemi created a second Instagram account. It is unclear what the use will be for but be sure to follow her @pinkrafiki.

Buzzfeed shared 42 Great Books To Read This Spring, Recommended By Our Favorite Indie Booksellers which features HAPPILY EVER AFTERS by Elise Bryant and DEATHLESS DIVIDE by Justina Ireland.

J. Elle has moved representation to Writers House and is now represented by Jodi Reamer! Congratulations!

Desiree S. Evans has been announced as the third Gulf South Writer in the Woods.

Registration is now open for FIYAHCON 2021 which takes place September 16-19, 2021. Registration closes on August 31, 2021. Free tickets grants access to late-night/early morning programming only and does not include formal FIYAHCON Discord access. Student/Educator tickets are $20 and Early Bird tickets are $40.

The book trailer for Ciannon Smart‘s WITCHES STEEPED IN GOLD was released.

Nic Stone delivered a keynote conversation about Empathy in Equity at SXSW EDU. She was also featured in Issue 39 of Kinfolk.

Renée Watson wrote a beautiful essay, “I Wasn’t Supposed to Love Me” for Catapult.

Podcasts

This Creative Life with Sara Zarr

March 28, 2021 – Tracey Baptiste

April 2021 Book Releases

April 6, 2021

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris

Oculta by Maya Motayne

April 13, 2021

Notes from a Young Black Chef (Adapted for Young Adults) by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein

April 20, 2021

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

Happy reading!

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