News - Literary News

News - Literary News

Kendra Allen’s debut poetry collection, THE COLLECTION PLATE, received a glowing endorsement from HEAVY and HOW TO SLOWLY KILL YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN AMERICA author Kiese Laymon. He writes: “THE COLLECTION PLATE is as close as we can get to those looming Black spaces beyond and before language. A book shouldn't be able to do this, but Kendra Allen is a conjurer as much as she is one of the most complete writers we have ever read.” Ecco will publish the collection on July 6, 2021.

GOOP announced this week that Meg Mason’s debut novel, SORROW AND BLISS, has been selected as their March Book Club Pick. They write: “SORROW AND BLISS is a modern love story that’s funny and dark, sharp and tender, hopeful and hard to put down. It has a brooding Sally Rooney vibe (but explores a slightly older and more mature slice of life) with exceptional inner monologue and palpable chemistry among the characters.” Harper published the book on February 9, 2021.

Zibby Owens, host of the Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast, included AMERICAN DAUGHTER by Stephanie Thornton Plymale on her “37 Books That Got Me Through Quarantine” list. AMERICAN DAUGHTER published from HarperOne on January 12, 2021.

I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE AND I’M NOT GOING by Peter McGough was named an essential art memoir by ARTNews. They write: “Peter McGough’s wry memoir of the 1980s art world focuses on his romantic and artistic partnership with David McDermott…McDermott & McGough’s work comes off in the book as a radical satire holding up a warped mirror to the reactionary Reagan era.” Pantheon published the book on September 17, 2019.

BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, EXPLORER by Jamie Figueroa received a glowing review from The New York Times Book Review. They write: “BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, EXPLORER packs a lot of story into just over 200 pages…Even those of us who resist magical realism might accept, maybe even celebrate it, in this beautifully crafted, poetic book." The book is also featured on March most-anticipated lists from The Millions, Bustle, and Debutiful. Catapult published the novel March 2, 2021.

Praise continues to build for Dawnie Walton’s THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV, which will publish later this month. The novel has been named a Book of the Month pick for March, hailed as "[a]n unforgettable, exciting, special debut.” O, The Oprah Magazine features the novel on its list of “20 of the Best Books to Pick Up This March,” praising: "Walton’s fabulous debut novel, which takes the form of an oral history, is an utterly fresh take on finding one’s voice, on systemic racism and sexism, and on freedom of expression. That these heavy subjects don’t weigh down this hugely entertaining novel are testament to Walton’s deftness and skill." The book is also featured on March most-anticipated lists from Pop Sugar, Entertainment Weekly, and BookRiot, and Essence magazine lists Walton on its "The Power of the Pivot" profile of women who left successful careers to pursue their creative endeavors. 37 Ink Books will publish the book on March 30, 2021.

THE PROPHETS by Robert Jones Jr. is featured on Marie Clare’s list of "35 Must-Read 2021 Book Releases by Black Authors," which refers to the book as “[a] devastating and beautifully written novel.” Jones Jr. was also interviewed by Watermark, as well as the Chatter on Books and KSCJ-AM/FM Having Read That podcasts. Chatter on Books praises this “fabulous debut novel,” noting that author “Marlon James called it ‘Epic in its scale, intimate in its force, and lyrical in its beauty.’” Lastly, the novel was recommended by SURVIVING THE WHITE GAZE author Rebecca Carroll on The Maris Review podcast. She calls the book “one in a thousand,” with writing that is “lyrical and beautiful.” G.P. Putnam’s Sons published the book on January 5, 2021.

Mandatory has highlighted Vince Granata’s memoir, EVERYTHING IS FINE, as one of their “10 Mandatory Books to Read After One of the Best Recent Years in Publishing.” They call the book a “harrowing and heartbreaking memoir” that “is going to get a lot of (much-deserved) buzz when it drops in April.” Atria Books will publish the book on April 27, 2021.

Adding yet another accolade to its glowing pile of pre-pub praise, Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel, OF WOMEN AND SALT, has been included in the New York Times Book Review’s list of “16 New Books to Watch For in March.” Flatiron Books will publish the novels on March 30, 2021.

THE FUTURES and NECESSARY PEOPLE author Anna Pitoniak’s next novel, OUR AMERICAN FRIEND, has received a wonderful endorsement from New York Times bestselling THE AVIATOR'S WIFE and THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD author Melanie Benjamin. She raves: “This should be catnip to political thriller fans…[a] smart, witty take on a fictional, foreign-born First Lady with a secret tied to Cold War espionage who tests the boundaries of friendship with her would-be biographer. This fast-paced novel about love, loyalty, and the secrets we should or should not keep will keep you gobbling up each page.” Simon & Schuster will publish the novel in January 2022.