Blog Archives
You May Conquer: Facing What Others Have Met
You May Conquer tells story after story about people who faced hardship that could have crushed them, yet they rose anyway. The book moves from biblical figures to modern leaders and shows how adversity becomes a teacher rather than a punishment. It blends faith, history, and personal reflection in a way that feels steady and grounded. The whole message circles one big idea. We gain real authority only when we walk through fire and come out changed.
As I read, I felt myself pulled into the rhythm of the writing. It is direct. It is serious. It carries a calm confidence. Sometimes I wanted more softness. Other times, the sharp edges felt right because the stories themselves carry weight. I liked how the authors didn’t try to polish hardship into something pretty. They just showed it for what it is and let the lessons rise from the ashes. The mix of scripture and history worked for me. It gave the book a wide lens and made the message feel universal.
I also found myself reacting to the ideas more than the prose. The writing is clear and steady, but the ideas hit like steady waves. The book pushes you to look inward, sometimes more deeply than you expected. It doesn’t yell its point. It just keeps nudging you to ask better questions about pain, about response, about what shapes character. I appreciated that. It made me feel both challenged and comforted. And honestly, it reminded me that authority is something we grow into. It is not a badge. It is a scar that healed well.
I’d recommend it to readers who want strength more than inspiration, readers who enjoy reflection, readers who welcome faith-based themes, and readers who appreciate stories that stretch across centuries to show a single truth. If you’re carrying something heavy and want a book that doesn’t pretend life is easy but still believes you can rise, this one is for you.
Pages: 207 | ASIN : B0FXJ9941M
The Truth About Us: How America Invented Black Stereotypes
The Truth About Us lays out a clear, forceful account of how America built and sustained racist stereotypes over centuries. The book traces these lies from their earliest invention, through law, science, religion, media, economics, and public policy, and shows how they still shape modern life. It moves chapter by chapter, dismantling myths about Black laziness, violence, intellectual inferiority, family structure, and more while grounding each point in historical evidence and data. At its heart, the book argues that the stereotypes themselves, not Black people, are the real inventions, the real systems, and the real national problem.
The writing is sharp and steady, and it pulls you in quickly. The author does not hide behind jargon or distance. Instead, he speaks plainly about how propaganda became policy and how those policies still mark the country today. I appreciated the way he blended history with modern examples. He shows old lies living inside new systems, and the connections hit hard. The weight of what he described, especially the deliberate crafting of myths in science and religion, stirred something heavy in me. Yet I kept turning pages because the argument is so well built and the evidence so clear.
I also found myself moved by the emotional current that runs under the facts. The book insists that the story of Black people is far bigger than oppression, and that truth adds warmth and hope to the harder chapters. When the author talks about Black excellence as a pattern, not an exception, I felt inspired. He writes with a kind of grounded pride, and I could feel that pride rising through the pages. Even in the sections about media stereotypes or mass incarceration, I sensed a push toward something better. The writing made me feel frustrated at what has been done, but also energized by what could be repaired if people were willing to face the truth.
I think this book is powerful because it does not stop at exposing lies. It points to what must replace them. Towards the end, it reads almost like a call to rebuild the country with honesty, imagination, and real courage. I would recommend The Truth About Us to readers who want a clear understanding of how racial myths were constructed and how deeply they shaped America. It is especially good for people who think they already know this history, because it pushes past the usual surface summaries and asks you to look at the machinery underneath.
Pages: 228 | ASIN : B0G2SLZF4S
I Wanted To Re-imagine His World
Still Waters follows a man who wakes up with no memory of his family and must navigate the challenges of starting a new life while grappling with the traumas of his past. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the setup of this story was actually a scene from Ava DuVernay’s limited series When They See Us (2019). For those that don’t know, When They See Us (2019) tells the story of the Central Park Five — five young Black and brown boys who were accused of brutally assaulting a jogger in New York City in 1989. All of the boys were convicted between six and twelve years. Throughout their trials they maintained their innocence. Later their sentences were vacated once the true (and lone) assailant admitted to the crime in 2002. Ultimately, there is a scene when Korey Wise (played by Jharrel Jerome) is locked in solitary confinement, and he begins to daydream about what if he decided not to go to the park with his friends that day. How differently his life would’ve turned out. When his daydream ends, he is back in prison, alone. I wanted to do something similar with a case that involved another Black teenager — and that was the case of George Stinney, Jr., the youngest American to be executed in the United States at 14-years-old. I wanted to re-imagine his world, and give him a different reality, if only briefly.
George is an interesting and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Admittedly, it was a bit difficult writing George’s character because I am writing about a young teenager, who is in the body of an adult. When you’re young, you’re naturally very curious and so I think it was important for me to make George curious about the world around him — and try to grasp what was happening to him. He is being forced to mature quicker than he would probably like to, like many Black children in the U.S., and so I think it was important to capture both his innocence and budding adulthood.
What themes were important for you to explore in this book?
It was important for me to explore how Black adults in the U.S. are often treated like children, and Black children are often treated like adults — and where these two ideals meet in this novel. George’s children are attacked for being children, in one scene in the book because they are expected to present much older. They are given less leniency than other children. Ultimately, George is being treated as an adult by the state of South Carolina when he is sentenced to death. So this was something that was important for me to explore.
What is the next book you are working on and when will it be available?
I do not currently have a book in the works, but am thinking of turning Still Waters into a screenplay so stay tuned for more news on that front!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
As he struggles to let go of what was and hold onto what is—and, more importantly, what can be—traumas, past and present, dare to carry George back to a world he desperately wants to escape.
Rooted in a dark, and important, history, Still Waters is an emotionally gripping story of love and loss that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
It’s Ok To Make Mistakes
What was the idea, or spark, that first set off the need to write A Black Woman’s Journey?
I wrote the book so young African American Woman know its ok to make mistakes due to not having a positive male role model in there life. Let them know they are still beautiful no matter what makes they make.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
It was hard writing all the stories especially because I can relate to almost all of them. The hardest story to writer was the first one, because This was my story and I experienced it before I even turned 18 years old.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
Before you jump into a relationship with someone, take a few months to get to know them and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Its ok to make mistakes, just learn from them and move on. Never look backwards, just continue to move forward.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
It Always Ends In Tears of Joy And Love
Colton’s Terrible Wonderful Year follows a black teen on a quest to meet his surrogate mom where he falls in love, almost loses one of his dads, confronts a racist cousin, and learns about love. What were some sources that informed the development of this novel?
I like to center my novels in a historic time with all the surrounding sociological issues. This story is set during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. But a number of other events were happening in 2020, including the rise of Black Lives Matter awareness which affects the main character, Colton, in a very personal way. It was also a time of political upheaval due to the upcoming election, issues that tore apart various members of Colton’s family. And then, like in many of my books, a nod to foreign travel with the family trip to Thailand confirms my belief that travel broadens one’s mind.
Colton’s character felt authentic. Was there anything about his character that you pulled from your own life?
As a part-time stepdad to a young man of mixed race, I drew from that experience. My real-life situation is much different from the one in the book, but being married to a Black man has made me imagine what it would be like if we had had a son through a surrogate mom and raised together. Some people have questioned how an older white cisgender gay male can write the story of a young Black apparently straight male. As writers we are observers, and I have had the great fortune of being surrounded by African-American family members, the two women of color who are the moms of my stepson, as well as a diverse community of different ethnicities and people on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.
What scene in the book was the most emotionally impactful to you?
In the latter part of Chapter Fourteen, Colton’s dad, Augie, is saying goodnight, and Colton begs to hear the story of his birth one more time, how Colton was taken from his birth mother’s arms and placed in the arms of his two dads. It is an emotional scene with both humor and tenderness, a bonding story that Colton never tires of hearing and Augie never tire of telling. And it always ends in tears of joy and love.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m almost finished with a sequel to my novel, The Mayor of Oak Street. The main part of the story takes place about 40 years after the end of that novel, but there are flashbacks throughout the book that pick up with the budding relationship between Nathan and Nick when Nathen is in his early twenties. It recounts the stories of love and traumatic loss in Nathan’s life and his surviving the AIDS pandemic. At sixty, it seems he is given one last chance at love that he’s sure he doesn’t deserve. Will he take it? The working title is Memories: Love Lurks and Pounces.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Colton’s dads reluctantly introduce him to his birth mother, but she doesn’t turn out to be person he hoped for. On his journey of falling in love, nearly losing one of his dads, and confronting a racist cousin, he learns about love, non-traditional families, community, and what is important in life. The biggest challenge of all is something he discovers about his birth, causing friction with his dads. But like every difficulty in his life, the love of his dads ultimately carries him along and lifts him up.
Wanting To Find Her Own Way In Life
Trapped follows four women who meet at a freshman assembly and remain friends through college and beyond. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Initially, the concept was a short story about four friends having a girls night in, playing a drinking game. As the ideas for their personalities developed, I realized a short story wouldn’t hold the amount of information I wanted to convey to the reader, thus Trapped was born.
Throughout the novel, the characters are searching for their own identity separate from their past. What were the driving ideals behind the characters’ development throughout the story?
I wanted each woman to have her own identity, but I also wanted them to be relatable. Every woman, including myself, can attest to wanting to find her own way in life on her own terms. We’ve all had some secret that we’ve wanted to keep buried, but as we go through life’s journey, we realize that our past experiences give us insight to make us better.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to touch upon a few things with this novel. Mental illness and sexuality are two major points worth mentioning. There’s still so much taboo around sexuality and mental illness in the black community, and I wanted to normalize the discussions surrounding these topics. Mental health issues need to be discussed, as well as treatment options. No one should be shamed for seeking the help they need. In the same token, the world doesn’t have to agree with the way someone lives their private life, but they should respect an individual’s decision either way. Society would be so much better if people were open to each other’s differences rather than despising others for them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on the second book of the Trapped series, Released, which will be released in the summer of 2023. Keep an eye out for the beta reader notifications this spring.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Naomi is on the verge of leaning into her adulthood. An only child in a prestigious family, she attempts to break out of her sheltered life to find herself. When love comes knocking in an unconventional way, Naomi has to choose between her traditionally structured upbringing and her carnal desires.
Arnya finds herself living her young adult life grieving the loss of her mother when a chance encounter at a charity event opens the door for romance. Her happily-ever-after approaches destruction when a past lover emerges, threatening to expose the truth about her son.
Stephanie, the former “church kid,” wants nothing more than freedom from her overprotective, saved-and-sanctified grandmother. When a job opportunity of a lifetime falls into her lap, Stephanie finds herself caught up in a web of deceit—and the arms of her boss.
Jasmine is a natural-born hustler. Her ability to read people goes a long way toward getting her into college—and occasionally into trouble. Jasmine is as carefree as she is calculating, and she makes it a point to keep everyone on their toes. The tide shifts in her world when a thoughtless bet nearly costs her a friendship—and her heart.
Join the krewe on this decade-long ride through girls’ trips, family drama, and uncovered secrets that will have you clutching your pearls, in this spicy novel, New Orleans style.
My Thank You Letter
The Strength of a Thousand Sons is your memoir detailing the challenges your family has faced over generations and the struggle to break the negative cycles. Why was this an important book for you to write?
My first book, The Eyes of Texans: From Slavery to the Texas Capitol, was published in 2020 and it featured my maternal ancestors in a similar manner as this one. The Strength of a Thousand Sons examines the paternal side of my family, and we also learn about personal and American history through their stories. While both sides of my ancestors were directly impacted by slavery, the Edwards line emerged from its human bondage with deep scars that weren’t healed with time alone. I traced my dad’s struggle and gave context to how he laid the foundation for me and future generations to have a better chance to succeed. This book is my thank you letter to him.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The first chapter was the toughest thing I’ve written in my life and I’ve been a writer for almost 40 years. I cried for three days while writing that chapter alone. I still do if I think about it too much.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The most important takeaway is that one person can change generations for good or bad, so we might as well strive to be positive role models — for our own children and others in our care.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
The systems of racism and abuse are common and have many layers. The sooner we realize that the sooner we can break those vicious cycles once and for all. I’m optimistic we can do that for good.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
The author of the award-winning book, The Eyes of Texans: From Slavery to the Texas Capitol: Stories from Six Generations of One Family, returns with the riveting follow-up that features the paternal side of his family, beginning in 1842.
Like his maternal ancestors, Melvin E. Edwards’ paternal ancestors are also Texans from the time of the Republic of Texas. However, the Edwards line emerged from its human bondage with deep scars that aren’t healed with time. One mind-boggling act of desperation by 10-year-old Melvin Edwards changed that trajectory and provided a softer landing for his son, this book’s author.
If you found Isaac Bladen to be unforgettable in the last book, you’ll find the elder Melvin Edwards equally compelling in this true story.
Studying family history can be fascinating. It can also reopen old wounds.
LITERARY TITAN 