One of the best decisions I made when I began my journey to publication for The Talking Drum was applying for a spot as a debutante. I had been following the Debutante Ball Blog for more than a year and marked my calendar so that I wouldn’t miss the application window. I was ecstatic when I got the email that I had been chosen as one of the five Debs….
We hope you enjoyed yesterday’s interview with A.H. Kim. RETWEET or SHARE for a chance to win an advance reader copy of A GOOD FAMILY. . Interview and ARC Giveaway with A.H. Kim, Author of A Good Family @DebutanteBall #ClassOf2020 #guest #author News from the Class of 2020 Debs: Lisa Braxton wants to invite you to her virtual book launch on Tuesday June 9th when she will be in conversation…
I’m so pleased to welcome A.H. Kim to the ball today! I met Ann in a Facebook group for debut authors, and I quickly became her Instagram fan. This month, she’s featuring a book recommendation per day in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Check out her feed here, and get your TBR ready. Ann’s debut novel, A GOOD FAMILY, releases in July, but we’re teaming up for an…
When we Debutantes took up shop here last August, one of us was delayed in her arrival because of her storytelling obligations at the Burning Man Festival. Immediately, I knew that one of these women was not like the others. I mean, Burning Man?! My daily adventures consisted of Target runs and maybe, on a good day, a few episodes of The Office with the family after dinner. Meanwhile, Yodassa…
It’s finally time! Yodassa Williams is the next of this year’s Debs to step out onto the ballroom floor! The Goddess Twins launches for publication today, May 19th. Foreword Reviews calls the book “an impressive, commanding novel about black girl magic,” and “an emotive and powerful feminist novel that inspires the innate goddess in every girl.” Kirkus Reviews says, “Continuous revelations keep the optimistic tale humming, and the cast is…
It’s such a treat today to welcome Nicole Kronzer as our guest. I first met Nicole ten or twelve years ago at a teaching conference, and we reconnected last year when we realized via Twitter that we had debut novels coming out in the same season. She has quickly become one of my very best friends, and I wrote much of my second novel in her beautiful backyard studio, which…
I’m so happy to welcome a guest blogger today. Anika Scott, author of THE GERMAN HEIRESS (the same novel is called FINDING CLARA, in the UK), writes about the release of her highly anticipated and bestselling debut, which coincided with the global pandemic. I met Anika in an online group for debut writers. She’s generous, empathetic, and kind–overall, just the type of person I love to root for. I couldn’t…
This week, we’re talking about a writing education. Do you need an MFA from a prestigious program in order to write and sell a novel? I mean, no. I don’t have an MFA, and I have sold and written a couple of novels. The truth is, I didn’t even consider a degree in creative writing when graduate school was on the table for me. In teaching, you do need to…
We’re discussing age this week. What’s the perfect age to write a novel? For me, this wasn’t really a choice, per se. I have been an aspiring novelist for basically my whole life, and I penned several books in elementary school. I don’t want to brag, but my mother said they were quite good. What happened later was typical and predictable. I didn’t do all that well in my college…
When I was in my late 20s, I considered enrolling at The American University in Washington, D.C. to earn an MFA in Creative Writing. I was torn between getting a degree that would help me write my debut novel and a master of science degree that would help me jump start a career as a television journalist. Ultimately, I decided to enroll at Northwestern University to help me launch my…
