Three Acclaimed Authors Share an MFA Connection New and forthcoming titles from acclaimed authors Rachel M. Harper, Angela Jackson-Brown, and Tiffany Golden share a common tie: All three authors are graduates, faculty—or both—of the low-residency MFA in Writing program at Spalding University’s Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing. | Harper’s latest novel, The Other Mother, is “a novel about the families we inherit and the ones we make for ourselves” (Kirkus Reviews). Jenry Castillo, a musical prodigy raised by a single mother, sets out on a search for the family he never knew—including his “other mother,” Juliet, who was romantically involved with Jenry’s mother. Good Morning America chose The Other Mother for their “GMA Buzz Pick” book of the week. It was named a Best Book of 2022 by Amazon and Book Riot, and the audiobook won AudioFile Magazine’s Earphones Award. Harper teaches fiction at Spalding. | Alum Angela Jackson-Brown studied with Harper while a student in Spalding’s MFA program. “It was clear from the very beginning that she came to Spalding to improve her craft and create lasting works of fiction,” Harper said at the time. Indeed, Jackson-Brown not only built a successful writing career; she now teaches on Spalding’s faculty. Her novel When Stars Rain Down, set in 1930s Georgia, received glowing reviews from Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, and elsewhere. Library Journal’s starred review says it “paints a vivid picture of family and community persevering in the pressure cooker of the Deep South … as the book confronts issues of racism, injustice, and white privilege head-on.” Her latest novel, The Light Always Breaks, follows a complicated romance in 1940s Washington, D.C. | Recent Spalding alum Tiffany Golden’s picture book I Want to Be Big! (illustrated by Sawyer Cloud), a story of #BlackBoyJoy, goes on sale on April 11 and is available for pre-order. The publisher says: “Jaiceon wishes he was big?bigger than his whole family, bigger than everyone! … Jaiceon’s wish is granted. But as he grows, the situation grows out of control along with him, and Jaiceon starts to wonder if being small wasn’t so bad after all. The sky’s the limit in this larger-than-life tale about how sometimes what we wish for isn’t exactly what we want, and how, with a little creativity and help, we can learn to love ourselves for who we are right now.” School Library Journal calls the book a “fun read-aloud” for toddlers and pre-schoolers. | Along with its nationally distinguished low-residency MFA program, Spalding’s Naslund-Mann School offers an MA in Writing and a graduate certificate. Students build a sustainable writing practice that fits in with work and family responsibilities. The low-residency model combines a weeklong residency on campus with an independent study course that students complete from home, working one-on-one with a faculty mentor. Optional short-term study abroad takes students to a different location every summer. The 2023 destination is Quebec City. Scholarships are available for writers of color. Learn more at spalding.edu/mfa ? | Dear Reader, Your support is crucial to helping us improve AALBC.com. Your paid subscriptions, book purchases, suggestions, engagement on the site, social sharing, advertisements, and feedback help support AALBC’s mission of celebrating Black culture through books. Peace and Love,
Troy Johnson
President, AALBC.com, LLC | The newsletter is sponsored by
Spalding University’s Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing
Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated email.
? AALBC.com eNewsletter — January 12, 2023 | |
