Beyond Acquisition: A Children’s Book Author and Bookstore Owner’s Journey Through Publishing’s Promise and Reality
As both a children’s book author and owner of Liberation Station bookstore, I’ve witnessed the gap between the publishing industry’s stated commitment to Black stories and reality from two critical vantage points. My journey as an author—from self-publishing through a collaborative institutional press, to working with a boutique traditional publisher, and finally being acquired by […]
How Archiving Will Preserve Our Legacy
Introduction: The Urgency of Preservation In an era marked by systematic attempts to erase Black narratives from educational curricula and public discourse, the preservation of our literary heritage has evolved from cultural necessity to existential imperative. The current wave of book bans targeting works by and about Black Americans represents more than censorship—it constitutes a […]
When sunshine takes flight…
Today, I did something I never thought would come so soon: I walked my oldest sunshine, Langston, to the gate for his first flight alone. He’s headed to Atlanta for the summer, soaking up sunshine, adventure, and a little bit of that Southern charm. Middle school is officially behind us—at least for now. I’m marveling […]
And sometimes life dances first…
A few weeks ago, I found an old photo tucked between pages of a forgotten book. In it, my grandparents are wrapped in an embrace, slow dancing in the middle of what looks like a crowded living room. There’s something unshakably tender about the image: the way she looks over his shoulder, smiling at the […]
Becoming the Bridge — On Legacy, Language, and Miss Edmonia’s Class of Wildfire’s
There’s a photo of me—taken by my father, Victor Scott, in the Memphis Botanical Gardens. I’m holding flowers, quiet in the frame. But what he captured that day wasn’t just a daughter in bloom. He captured a bridge being built. What I didn’t know then is that I was offering those flowers to my future […]
When the website became a mirror…
Revamping my website was supposed to be a straightforward task—new pages, updated images, fresh copy. I thought it would be simple: hire a designer, approve some layouts, and call it a day. But somewhere between updating the homepage and refining my bio, I found myself completely overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Because this […]
