2020 Debs

[News Flash] September 15, 2019

Sunday, September 15, 2019
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If you haven’t already, enter the #DebBallGiveaway to win a copy of The Unbreakables, by Lisa Barr. You can enter by sharing our post on Facebook and/or retweeting the following tweet (make sure you follow @DebutanteBall on Twitter too!): Interview with Lisa Barr, Author of The Unbreakables PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY @DebutanteBall #ClassOf2020 #guest #author @lisabarr18 News from the Class of 2020 Debs: Lisa Braxton attended an informational session hosted by…

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Tick, tick, tick…

Wednesday, September 11, 2019
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In 2006, I went to a house party. While crossing the lawn on the way back to the car, my foot caught in a lawn divot, twisted badly, and shattered bones in five places—including my cuboid, which any orthopedist will tell you takes talent. I stuck my foot in a boot and prepared to spend the next six weeks in crutch-laden misery. If only. Two weeks in, I felt a…

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Irrational Yelling: The Inspiration for Kathleen’s Debut Novel

Tuesday, September 10, 2019
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When I began writing MINOR DRAMAS & OTHER CATASTROPHES, I was in my fifteenth year of classroom teaching, a job I love. In fact, I never deviated in my desire to become a teacher since first having an inkling at age eleven. I idolized my teachers and coaches, desperately wanted to please them, and delighted in the quirks they brought to their work. I couldn’t wait to join their professional…

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The Tears That Helped Inspire My Debut Novel

Monday, September 9, 2019
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I can point to many sources of inspiration for my novel, The Talking Drum, but one of the major sources of inspiration was an incident that occurred about 10 years ago at my church, Myrtle Baptist, in West Newton, Massachusetts, during a meeting of the history committee. We were making plans to create a commemorative book on the history of the church in celebration of its 135 years in existence….

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Interview with Adeena Sussman, Author of Sababa Cookbook

Saturday, September 7, 2019
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Welcome to our first guest, Adeena Sussman! As an almost full-time resident of Tel Aviv, Adeena’ Sussman’s Israeli cookbook, Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors from My Israeli Kitchen, was released by Penguin/Avery books on September 3, 2019. Also the solo author of Short Stack Editions’ Tahini, Adeena has co-authored twelve cookbooks. Three of her recent collaborations, Cravings and Cravings 2 with Chrissy Teigen and The Sprinkles Baking Book with Candace Nelson,…

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What, Me, a Book?

Friday, September 6, 2019
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It’s interesting that it’s Labor Day weekend — because this is when I actually finished my book. Yes, I did submit the behomoth on Memorial Day, almost a year since I’d started it, under contract. “Aren’t you excited?” everyone asked. (Well, I posted on FB that I submitted, so it was my fault.) Yes, I was overwhelmed with emotion. The night that I’d finished — Thursday before Memorial Day weekend,…

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What if the story that is medicine to me is medicine for someone else?

Thursday, September 5, 2019
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Hello friends! I’m so excited to have the opportunity to write throughout my debut year alongside the talented fellow Debs Lisa Braxton, Amy Klein, Kathleen West, and Karen Osborne. Here’s some background on me: I’m a first generation Jamaican American and I was born in the Midwest (Cincinnati, Ohio to be precise). I was a very anxious kid (ahem…and adult) and I learned to create universes in my head with…

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Greetings from your friendly neighborhood danger extrovert!

karen-osborne
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
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In college, I had a summer job at the Latham Circle Mall Waldenbooks (of blessed memory). The manager made me a keyholder, so I was tasked with getting to the mall early, opening the rattling grate, turning on all the lights and setting up the registers. If I did that fast enough, I then had twenty minutes to put away newly-delivered books. Sometimes—just sometimes—I’d leave a tiny little gap in…

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[News Flash] Press Release – New Debutantes Take Over for 2020

Tuesday, September 3, 2019
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“The Debutante Ball has introduced us to some of the best contemporary authors.” -WeHeartWriting.com For Immediate Release: September 3, 2019– Founded in 2007, The Debutante Ball celebrates the journey of five female debut authors on their paths to publication. Through discussions that range from craft and creativity to copy edits and cover designs—plus weekly guest posts by published authors—The Debutante Ball offers guidance and a supportive community for aspiring and…

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Meet Kathleen: She Earned a Solid B+ in College Poetry Writing

Tuesday, September 3, 2019
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When I was in elementary school, my family used to load up our Dodge Ram each summer and head west. Seatbelts, while included in the price of vehicles back in the 1980s, were more of a suggestion. My brother and I spent hours sprawled all over that van–on the floors, across the luxurious third row, and sometimes in the “way back,” wedged up next to the camping equipment. My parents…

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