Brandy Colbert and I somehow met each other online last year. I don’t actually know how. I’m terrible at remembering things like that. But maybe when you have two wacky brown ladies who both live in California and like to read and write dark, twisty, contemporary YA stories, it’s destiny that they are going to end up being friends.
Not just friends, but also critique partners. I trust Brandy’s taste, and she has helped me immensely with my writing. I also take great joy in getting the chance to read her work. Her gorgeous debut novel, POINTE, is one I’ve been waiting for the world to read for many, many months now.
Now I am so excited because Brandy is actually coming to the Bay Area, and we are doing a book event together at Mrs. Dalloway’s in Berkeley on May 31st. We’ll be discussing POINTE (I’ve prepared a list of devious questions to ask her…), and as we are both very good at talking, I imagine the conversation will soon take on a life of its own.
So please, come join us! Bring your questions and thoughts. We’re pretty open books ourselves. Diversity in kidlit has been an evolving topic of discussion lately, and we’re happy to talk about race and identity, both in writing and publishing.
Hope to see you there!
-sk