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

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Book Deals

Bethany Baptiste sold world English rights for her debut YA contemporary fantasy, THE POISONS WE DRINK, coming Winter 2022 from Sourcebooks Fire.

Jumata Emill sold their debut, a thriller, THE BLACK QUEEN, coming summer 2023 from Delacorte Press.

Pamela N. Harris sold a contemporary and second book, THIS TOWN IS ON FIRE coming winter 2023 from Quill Tree.

Luvvie Jones sold her nonfiction title, PROFESSIONAL TROUBLEMAKER: A FEAR-FIGHTER MANUAL FOR TEENS in a two book deal, coming May 2022 from Philomel.

Ebony LaDelle sold her debut contemporary novel, Love Radio, coming Summer 2022 from Simon and Schuster.

Hannah Sawyerr sold her debut novel in verse, CALL HIM BY NAME, coming Fall 2023 from Abram’s Children.

Justin A. Reynolds sold HOUSE PARTY, a multi-authored romcom including contributors, Jerry Craft, Natasha Diaz, Lamar Giles, and Christina Hammonds Reed, coming summer 2023 from Joy Revolution.

Charlene Thomas sold world rights for their contemporary novel, SETON GIRLS, coming Fall 2022 from Dutton.

Publisher Breakdown 2021 So Far

Available to Patreon ARC level Supporters and Paid Newsletter Subscribers Only

Foreign Rights

THE TAKING OF JAKE LIVINGSTON by Ryan Douglass sold to the UK.

BEASTS OF PREY by Ayana Gray sold to Romania.

Tinseltown – Adaptation News

Netflix is developing BEASTS OF PREY by Ayana Gray. Melody Cooper is adapting the screenplay, Bryan Unkeless’ Clubhouse Pictures will produce, and Scott Morgan will executive produce. – THR

Netflix is developing a TV adaptation RAYBEARER by Jordan Ifueko. Gina Atwater will create, produce, direct and write the series. – Variety

Cover Reveals

Marvel unveiled the cover for OKOYE TO THE PEOPLE by Ibi Zoboi (March 1, 2022)

Bestseller Lists

WHITE SMOKE by Tiffany D. Jackson debuted at #6 on the NYT List and Indie Bestsellers List.

Appearances

Note: To see the latest virtual events coming up, be sure to visit the Events page!

Ayana Gray appeared on Good Morning America to promote BEASTS OF PREY. Watch the full clip here.

Awards/Honors

Dhonielle Clayton was also awarded the Ignyte Award for The Ember Award for Unsung Contributions to Genre. More Ignte Award honorees include A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN edited by Patrice Caldwell for Best Anthology/Collected Works, Tracy Deonn (LEGENDBORN) for Best Novel-YA for 2021 as well as #PublishingPaidMe creators, L.L McKinney and Tochi Onyebuchi for the Community Award for Outstanding Efforts in Service of Inclusion & Equitable Practice in Genre.
Safia Elhillo, Kekla Magoon, and Amber McBride have all been long-listed for the 2021 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
The ‘GMA’ Inspiration List 2021, in honor of National Hispanic Latinx Heritage Mont, features a nomination by Angie Cruz of Saraciea J. Fennell.
Finalists were announced for the 2021 Kirkus Prize and includes THE LIFE I’M IN by Sharon G. Flake.
BEASTS OF PREY by Ayana Gray has been chosen as a Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick.
Indies Introduce Winter/Spring 2022 Indie Next List picks include LOVE RADIO by Ebony LaDelle and AND WE RISE by Erica Martin.
Kwame Onwuachi hosted the 2021 James Beard Awards.

Buzz – Starred Reviews

BookPage: BLACK BIRDS IN THE SKY: THE STORY AND LEGACY OF THE 1921 TULSA MASSACRE by Brandy Colbert

Publishers Weekly: SKIN OF THE SEA by Natasha Bowen, BLACK BIRDS IN THE SKY: THE STORY AND LEGACY OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE by Brandy Colbert

General Updates

Elizabeth Acevedo was featured in Today’s 23 beautiful kids’ books to celebrate and honor Hispanic Heritage Month. She also graces the cover of Writer’s Digest Magazine (September/October 2021 Issue).
Book Riot published 35 New YA Horror Books to Devour, including titles by Ryan Douglass, Jessica Lewis, and Ciannon Smart.
Madame Noir published Black Children’s Books Will Turn Your Child Into A Lover Of Black Literature including Elizabeth Acevedo, Tomi Adeyemi, Echo Brown, J. Elle, Nic Stone, and Angie Thomas.
Seventeen Magazine published 45 Books for Teens That You Won’t Be Able to Put Down which includes titles from Elizabeth Acevedo, Kacen Callender, Leah Johnson, Maika & Maritza Moulite, and Angie Thomas.
Dhonielle Clayton has relaunched Cake Literary as Cake Creative. Visit the new website here.
The release date for BLACK WAS THE INK by Michelle Coles has been pushed to November 2, 2021.
The title for S. Isabelle‘s debut novel has been released. Stay tuned for THE WITCHERY, coming Summer 2022 from Scholastic!
Zakiya N. Jamal was promoted to Senior Manager of Social Media at Scholastic.
NPR featured Bethany C. Morrow.
The Library of Congress has revealed that Jason Reynolds will serve a third time as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
Tiffany Shelton has a new role at St. Martin’s Publishing Group: Editor and Manager, Acquisitions Outreach.
Bustle featured Ayana Gray and Shanna Miles in 10 Must Read Books Out This Week (Week of Sept 27th), Elizabeth Acevedo, Maya Motayne, Maika & Maritza Moulite, and Ibi Zoboi in 26 Books By Latinx Authors To Read Now & Always, as well as the VAMPIRES NEVER GET OLD anthology featuring a short story by Dhonielle Clayton in The 25 Best Vampire Books To Read Now.
Epic Reads featured Ibram X. Kendi, Jason Reynolds, and Angie Thomas in 12 Banned Books That Will Always Have a Spot on Our Shelves, Brandy Colbert in The 18 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in October, and Emery Lee, Elizabeth Acevedo, Saraciea Fennell, and Maya Motayne in 28 Books with Latinx Representation You Should Read. They also published Exploring Black Horror in the YA Space and 22 Books to Read If Your School Won’t Teach Critical Race Theory.
Pop Sugar featured Elizabeth Acevedo and Maya Motayne in 13 Must-Read Young Adult Novels by Latinx Authors.

Podcasts

Everything is Canon
- Ayana Gray – September 29, 2021
First Draft with Sarah Enni
- Ayana Gray – September 30, 2021
Lit Service
- Ayana Gray – September 29, 2021
- Bethany C. Morrow – September 8, 2021
NPR: TED Radio Hour
- Jason Reynolds – September 17, 2021
Talking Journeys of Belonging 2 Blackness
- Mahogany L. Browne – September 21, 2021
What Book Hooked You?
- Jay Coles – September 30, 2021
Write or Die
- Ayana Gray – September 27, 2021

October 2021 Book Releases

October 5, 2021

Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert

Shattered Midnight by Dhonielle Clayton

Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal

Looking For Grace by Pamela Varnado

October 26, 2021

Rest Easy by Warona Jolomba

Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O’Neil

Happy reading!

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