2020 Debs

Submit Your Application to Become a Member of the Class of 2021 Debutante Ball!

Monday, May 25, 2020
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Every year since 2007, five debut women authors have taken part in The Debutante Ball, a group blog for authors making their debut in the literary world. Former Debs include bestsellers in the genres of women’s fiction, mystery, literary fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and more. It’s time for the Class of 2020 to pass on our tiaras. We’re looking for female or non-binary writers who have not previously had a book…

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Getting to Wear the Pearls is Worth It

Monday, May 25, 2020
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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….

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[News Flash] May 24, 2020

Sunday, May 24, 2020
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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…

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The Goddess Twins, OUT NOW, a Summer Vacation Read

Thursday, May 21, 2020
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As a kid, I absolutely adored reading for pleasure! When school was out during the summer, my very favorite thing would be getting a fat stack of books from the library and diving into new worlds like a solo adventurer. The phrase ‘summer reading’ brings up the fond memory of our local library’s annual summer reading contest. Each year, the Mt. Healthy library held a scavenger hunt style reading competition,…

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Hooray for The Goddess Twins!

Wednesday, May 20, 2020
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I love books with voice. Books where you can hear the characters talk in your head, where they’re serious and witty and believable and bold. The Goddess Twins has a lot going for it, but one of its major triumphs is the voices of its teenage protagonists. I had twin acquaintances in high school—twins who dressed differently, acted separately, took different classes, had divergent interests. One played sports. The other…

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Drum roll please!! It’s launch week for Yodassa Williams

Tuesday, May 19, 2020
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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…

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Summer Vacation Reading in the Midst of a Pandemic

Monday, May 18, 2020
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Because of the times we’re facing, many of us will have more room in our schedules for reading this summer than we normally do. Stay-at-home orders, social distancing requirements, and the financial hit many of us are weathering because of COVID-19 will mean that stay-cations will be more common than activity-crammed vacations. When people think of summer reading choices, beach reads—fun, light novels filled with adventure, drama, and romance that…

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Creating My Customized Writing Education

Thursday, May 14, 2020
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Growing up, I knew I had an overwhelming passion for reading and writing. But as a first generation daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and I knew my family had high expectations for my career path. I made murmurs that I wanted to be a writer, but they said you should want to become a lawyer, think of the steady money and prestige! Entering the fashion industry was a type of compromise…

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Make Your Own MFA

Wednesday, May 13, 2020
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I’m going to cut to the chase. I firmly believe that there are only two things you really need to become a great writer: 1) lots of practice, and 2) good critique partners. That’s it. Everything else is mirrors and glitter. Practice is simple. Practice makes you better. Critique partners are a little more complicated, but you can still find them online and in your local town: good ones help…

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The Writer’s Education—MFA versus NYC

Monday, May 11, 2020
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In a widely read essay entitled “MFA vs NYC,” bestselling novelist Chad Harbach (The Art of Fielding) argued that the American literary scene has split into two cultures: New York publishing versus university MFA programs. His book brings together established writers, MFA professors and students, and New York editors, publicists, and agents to talk about these overlapping worlds, and the ways writers make (or fail to make) a living within…

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