I’ve been absent for awhile. I’ve been reticent to say, to speak, but not reticent to write. My words land in my notebooks, but often not in complete sentences. I’ve been revising poems and working on a memoir. I’ve been reading a LOT. But in truth, I usually read a LOT. I’ve always loved to read, so I continue with that luxury. And these days it does seem like a luxury to be able to choose what I read and take the time to read. I’m not primed to do book reviews here, but I will list a few of the books that have captured my attention of late.

Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Khadijah Queen (memoir)

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera (fiction)

107 Days by Kamala Harris (memoir)

Fictive Dream especially the “Micro Mondays” features

CalMatters a non-partisan, nonprofit online daily news outlet covering policy and politics in California

The Aves by Ryane Nicole Granados (YA fiction) Zora’s voice is so strong and real and true!
Note: I enjoy reading YA Fiction and have often found a good deal of the genre’s recent releases to be more engaging than some contemporary adult fiction. I teach English at a secondary school, so I’m often looking for books that would be interesting to my students.

Resting Bitch Face by Taylor Byas (poetry) The poems in this collection take my breath away

Word Time by devorah major (poetry) devorah is the third poet laureate of San Francisco and one of my treasured mentors

South to America by Imani Perry This book cannot be categorized and it brings me great joy. History, memory, myriad voices of the living and the dead, reflection. It is rich and I cannot read it quickly, so I’ve been dipping in and out of it, taking time to savor and sit with what it reveals to me, a grandaughter of the South.

I’m going to stop here for now. I’ll add more of my reading in an upcoming post.

Wishing you and yours safety and peace.