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Jayne Allen writes fiction out of life experiences and strives to “tell stories that stick to your bones,” calling the remarkable texture of her memorable characters “fragments of reality strung together by imagination.” She is the author of the much-celebrated Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series. |
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Daniel Black is a nationally renowned, award-winning novelist. His works are inspired by African American life, history, and heritage in the South—encompassing themes of race, religion, and sexuality. In addition to his writing, he has spoken widely about being both Black and gay in the United States. |
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Denny S. Bryce is a best-selling, award-winning author of historical fiction. In her novels, you’ll find themes of love, family, resilience, and the complexities of identity. She explores historical settings with rich, diverse cultural landscapes and delves into issues of race, class, and gender. Her stories blend romance with elements of mystery or suspense as she strives to create immersive and engaging narratives. |
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Cleveland author Abby Collette is known for mixing cozy mysteries with soul food and ice cream. Her Books and Biscuits mysteries series features twins who run a bookstore and soul food cafe in the Pacific Northwest and frequently find themselves searching for killers. In her other series, Ice Cream Parlor mysteries, the main character constantly finds herself discovering bodies where they shouldn't be. Perfect for fans of Alexander McCall Smith. |
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Pulitzer Prize-winning literary provocateur Percival Everett writes inventive, darkly humorous books that often play with genre tropes and readers' expectations. He often uses his considerable gifts as an author to pick apart the underlying absurd and thoughtless cruelty of American society, particularly in regards to racism. A prolific writer, Everett pens puckish tales that deconstruct the many genres they purport to represent. Readers with a taste for irony-laden metafiction that questions the idea of authorial intent will find much to enjoy in his work. (NoveList) |
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Kristina Forest is an American romance author of novels for teens and adults. Her adult contemporary rom-com series, Greene Sisters, stars 3 sisters who tackle work-life balance and their steamy love affairs with high-profile men. The series offers an irresistible blend of tried-and-true tropes and romantic themes. Led by likeable protagonists, these upbeat love stories highlight the ups and downs of romantic relationships with an emotional core punctuated by fun and feel-good moments. |
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Kellye Garrett’s crime fiction novels have been featured on the Today Show, won numerous awards, and named to Time Magazine’s 100 Best Mystery & Thrillers of All Time. After breaking into publishing with the Detective by Day lightweight mystery series, she transitioned into standalone suspense. The latest is Missing White Woman, a twisty thriller and "compulsive page-turner" (Harlan Coben) about a woman who thinks she’s waking up to a romantic vacation—only to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone. |
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N. K. Jemisin is an African-American writer of fantasy and science fiction known for her complex mythologies and detailed world-building, as well as multifaceted characters who often exist at the margins of their society. Jemisin's lyrical prose blends seamlessly with her fast-paced, suspenseful plots that frequently revolve around political intrigue and conspiracy. (NoveList) |
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American author Gayl Jones writes literary and psychological fiction that primarily explores the interior and exterior struggles of Black women. Her stylistically complex works are dialect-filled, witty, and reflective with an occasional stream-of-consciousness style that captures the ordeals of strong female characters dealing with sexual abuse, relationship issues, spiritual pursuits, oppression, racism, and cultural identity. |
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Award-winning speculative fiction author Victor D. LaValle's experiences with both schizophrenia and food addiction inform his writing, particularly his characterizations and his plots. His characters are strange, idiosyncratic, often mentally ill, and often quite charming. LaValle's prose veers between deadpan humor, the utterly ridiculous, and the absolutely terrifying. (NoveList) |
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Atlanta author Wanda M. Morris is an author and attorney whose suspenseful own voices novels blend African American fiction, historical thriller, and legal thriller. Her gritty, intricately plotted novels take place in the deep South, where racism and the fight against it has shaped legal issues for generations. Starring smart, resourceful Black women entangled in complex situations like murder, office affairs, and stolen property, Morris's novels are intricately plotted, steadily intensifying toward a stunning conclusion. Justice is served, but not without cost. (NoveList) |
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Nonfiction author Imani Perry, a professor of African American studies at Princeton, first appeared in print at age 3 in the Birmingham (Alabama) News in a photo of her and her parents at a protest against police brutality. She has published widely on topics ranging from racial inequality to hip-hop and is active across various media. She earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University. (Princeton) |
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Ghanian-American author Kwei Quartey is a crime fiction author and physician who is best known for his Inspector Darko Dawson series and Emma Djan series, both of which are set in Ghana and tackle African political and cultural issues. |
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Author Toni Shiloh writes contemporary Christian romances starring Black women who find themselves falling in love while navigating challenging situations. These slow-burn romances with irresistible tropes highlight the importance of supportive and stable relationships grounded in faith. |
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