As a writer, the journey of weaving words into stories is intensely personal, but there’s nothing quite as rewarding as seeing those stories touch the hearts and minds of readers. Over time, "The Want Series," now "The Unseen War," has transcended pages, becoming more than just a series—it's evolved into shared moments, experiences, and memories that resonate with so many of you. Today, I'd like to take a moment to shine a spotlight on some of the incredible interactions and testimonials I've received from our community of Book Voyagers.
1. A Letter from Lesley in New York City:
A while back, I received a message on Facebook from Lesley, who was in love with Awoke, demanding to know where the second book was. Needless to say, I had a great chuckle from her ferocity because it meant that the book was worth the effort and aggravation.
2. A Book Review from Caitlyn:
Caitlyn was one of the many book reviewers who received an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) looking to get feedback. The first thing she said was that she was stunned to see a Black female protagonist in a fantasy novel written by a Black female author. Knowing that it was not the norm to see at the time (and still isn't quite mainstream), I was ecstatic to see that someone outside of my community understood the significance of our choices. And she loved the story in its entirety.
3. The Tearful Meet-up at Black Book Exp:
I had the privilege of meeting dozens of Book Voyagers and exploring the different books other Black authors wrote. Among them was Sharita, who had brought her daughter Ari to the Expo. She came up to me to hug me and teared up. She said she was so happy to see someone there prevailing and writing characters resembling Ari. Ari loves fantasy but was immediately drawn to my book. I teared up as well because all I ever wanted to do was create powerful characters that also looked like me. Ari and Sharita understood the power of representation just as much as I did. It led to other conversations about appearing at nearby schools to encourage children to continue to write and pursue their dreams.
Sharing these moments is a small window into the vast universe of emotions and experiences that you, my readers, have shared with me. Your words, art, and emotions are a testament to the magic of storytelling. They remind me that, while I may provide the words, your imagination, interpretation, and personal journeys truly bring the story to life.
To every Book Voyager out there, know that your voice matters. Your experiences, emotions and the very impact that "The Unseen War" has had on you fuel my passion and push me to dive deeper into this world we've created together.
Until next time, Book Voyagers.
Keep sharing, believing, and most importantly, voyaging through the realms of stories.
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