BIPOC Book News: Viola Davis Dips Her Toes in the Book World, The Asian-American Lit Fest is Back & New Books for “Colored Girls”

Time for another installment of BIPOC book news. I’m sharing all the news from the book world that I feel is worthy of attention. If BIPOC folks and books are involved, I want to talk about it. So, let’s dive in, shall we?

Viola Davis Brings Her Shine to the Publishing Industry

Last month, Publisher’s Weekly announced that Viola Davis is entering the book world by launching her own publishing company. In this new venture, called JVL Media, Davis is partnering with her husband and longtime publisher, Lavaille Lavette. The first books from the new company will be for adults, and include both nonfiction and fiction titles. But they have plans to offer books for children and teens next year.

According to a press release from JVL media, “This endeavor embodies our collective aspiration—to champion and elevate voices that resonate with authenticity and are often overlooked. Our mission is to interlace a rich mosaic of both fiction and non-fiction that not only stirs the imagination but also venerates the enduring heritage of storytellers from diverse walks of life.”

And be clear, JVL Media isn’t just going to be a book publisher, they are also venturing into book packaging, and “media packaging” according to their website. I mean, would we expect anything less from Davis who, as a performer does it all? It sounds like JVL media will be a force in bringing diverse stories in multiple forms - books, TV, movies etc - to the masses.

The Asian American Literature Festival is Back in Business

If you don’t follow literary “news,” then you might not know that in 2023, the annual Asian American Literature Festival, a Washington, DC based festival celebrating Asian American literature, was abruptly cancelled by the festival’s main partner organization just weeks before the festival was supposed to run. Many people were surprised to learn that partner was none other than the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. It all seemed very fishy and unprofessional, and so many authors and readers were left scratching their heads and angry about the abrupt cancellation. Especially since reportedly, the only reason given by the Smithsonian for the last minute ghosting was, “administrative/logical reasons.”

Well, you can’t keep a good festival down. Earlier this month, it was announced that the Asian American Literature Festival will take place this year. Now organized by a consortium of literary organizations called the Asian American Literature Festival Collective, the festival will take place September 14 - 22 in different cities across the United States as well as Australia and New Zealand. US Cities where events will take place include, New York, Seattle, and Atlanta. All events will be free and open to the public. Visit the Kundiman website for more information and updates about the festival.

New Books Alert: Britney Griner’s Coming Home and Colored Girls in the Garden

Don’t call it a celebrity memoir. Britney Griner, the WNBA star who was detained in a Russian prison for almost a year just released a memoir detailing her harrowing ordeal. The book is called, Coming Home. In addition to the details of her Russian imprisonment, Griner adds context to the story by sharing poignant information about her life, loves, and family. The collaborator on the book is none other than the amazing Michele Burford, who also worked with Cicely Tyson, Simone Biles, and Alicia Keys on their memoirs, so you know this is going to be an excellent read all around. Bonus, it’s already a New York Times bestseller!

For the young readers in our lives, or the young at heart, there’s a new book making waves simply for its title. An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children is the latest by Jamaica Kincaid, illustrated by the artist, Kara Walker.

The publisher’s description of the book is this, “In this witty, deeply original book, the renowned novelist Jamaica Kincaid offers an ABC of the plants that define our world and reveals the often brutal history behind them.”

I’m not sure this is truly a children’s book, but I want it for my collection because Jamaica Kincaid and Kara Walker in collaboration just means it has to be a work of art.