New Release~Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Release date: March 9th 2021
Series: The Brown Sisters #3

Publisher: Avon
Purchase: Amazon | B&N
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Blurb:

In Act Your Age, Eve Brown the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

About the Author

Talia Hibbert is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.
She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online.
Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.

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Book Spotlight~Risky Encounters by Shane Morgan (me)

Hey there! Just doing a spotlight on my most recent release!

Release date: February 9th 2021

Series: Risks & Betrayals Duet #1
Purchase: Amazon
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Blurb:

One unforgettable night forges a connection steeped in passion and danger.

It started as a dare that led to a steamy kiss.
Trisha Hartman never expected to end her birthday night-out throwing herself in the path of a bullet to save a man she doesn’t even know.

Alexander Westerfield is blown away by a fiery moment with a beautiful stranger. Considering she hurried off right after, he convinced himself the woman had no further interest. Then she does something quite heroic that causes him to desire her more.

The chance of a romance proves to be difficult when threats arise at every turn, and exposing the culprit behind the plot seems impossible. But after several attempts on Xander’s life, doubts start to set in, and he wonders if he may have placed his trust in the wrong person.

*Note: This is not a standalone. This book is part of a duet and it ends on a cliffhanger. So keep that in mind if you dislike those but still want to read the book.

~Teaser~

My feet carry me forward.

Neither of the men notices my approach.

I'm about to interrupt their conversation, but the incoming SUV catches my attention as a gloved hand reaches out the back window.

I instantly spot the dark object.

A gun.

It's aiming at blue-gray eyes.

"Get down!" I scream, hurrying to him.

I grab his jacket.

A loud pop rings in the air as we tumble together.

Frantic cries bellow around us.

Tires screech as the vehicle speeds off.

My breathing is erratic while lying on top of the man I don't know, yet I just risked my life to save his, possibly because of an epic kiss.

A kiss that clearly robbed me of my damn senses.

About Shane Morgan (me lol)

In case you didn't know, I'm also a self-published author of YA/Adult Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, and Suspense. I currently live in Rhode Island with my husband, and I spend my days blogging, writing, reading, listening to music, and watching movies.

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Spotlight~Only Want You by Shane Morgan 😊😊

Release date: March 15th 2019

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Purchase: https://amzn.to/2TnoDv2

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Synopsis:
Evelyn Harris.
Twenty-eight-year-old assistant project manager.

Has a great life.

Loving (nosy) family. 

Supportive best friends.

The problem? Her love life is going nowhere. After a few failed relationships, laughable blind dates, and online dating fiascos, Evelyn is about ready to give up on love and commit entirely to her career.

Things change when she meets James.

James Westbrook.

Thirty-two.

Wants to be taken seriously as an architect.
But a scam involving a former friend has rocked his reputation, both professionally and personally. Plus, he’s avoided commitment after a broken engagement two years ago.

When the opportunity to work again finally comes around, James feels grateful. He puts an end to occasional hookups and focuses on rebuilding his career.

He never anticipated meeting Evelyn.

These two were on the verge of saying ‘screw it’ to love. But with so much spark between them, fate becomes harder to fight the more time they spend together at work.

Will James and Evelyn give this office romance a chance or will fear destroy their possible happiness together?

About the Author

Shane Morgan is the author of several novels, including Unresisting, Impossibly Love, Finding Julian, and The Right Song. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband. Aside from writing, Shane enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and traveling.

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~EXCERPT~

Evelyn finished her wine and set the empty glass next to her laptop. “Thanks for inviting me over. Surprisingly, I feel more relaxed here than I do at the office.”

Then stay.

“Glad you’re comfortable.”

Our eyes remained linked for a while, until I lowered mine to her full lips, swallowing hard as the memory of kissing them rushed me.

I blinked the vision away, wanting to respect Evelyn’s wishes and her job.

“More wine?” I offered, standing.

She shuddered a tad and looked at her empty glass. “No, um, I should get going.”

“Oh. All right.”

Please stay.

Evelyn closed her laptop, packing it away into her bag. I brought the empty glasses into the kitchen.

She stood as I walked back to the desk. “Thank you for dinner and for a different space to work.”

“You’re welcome.”

I could see apprehension within her fluttering eyes. She was more nervous than ever.

Evelyn gnawed at her bottom lip as her eyes slowly glanced over me. Then she squeezed them shut as if fighting back her emotions. I was tempted to step closer.

It’s okay. You don’t have to fight.

“I should go,” she said again, opening her eyes.

Please don’t leave, my mind shouted.

“Okay,” I said instead and walked her to the door.

She lifted her hand to open it, hesitated, but then opened it at last.

What was going on inside that head of hers?

Was she as conflicted as I was?

“See you tomorrow,” she said softly, barely meeting my gaze before she stepped out of my apartment.

“See you.”

Evelyn shut the door behind her.

A sigh of regret gushed from my lips. Seconds later, I turned to go shower, but urgent knocking made me halt in my steps. I spun around and quickly opened the door.

My brows shot up. “Evelyn?”

CAN'T WAIT TO READ: Slay by Brittney Morris

Release date: September 24th 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

"A book that knocks you off your feet while dropping the kind of knowledge that’ll keep you down for the count. Prepare to be slain.” —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out.

Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give in this dynamite debut novel that follows a fierce teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther–inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.

By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game, SLAY. No one knows Kiera is the game developer, not her friends, her family, not even her boyfriend, Malcolm, who believes video games are partially responsible for the “downfall of the black man.”

But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and SLAY is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game, threatening to sue Kiera for “anti-white discrimination.”

Driven to save the only world in which she can be herself, Kiera must preserve her secret identity and harness what it means to be unapologetically black in a world intimidated by blackness. But can she protect her game without losing herself in the process?

About the Author

Brittney Morris is the author of SLAY. She holds a BA in Economics from Boston University because back then, she wanted to be a financial analyst. (She's now thankful that didn't happen). She spends her spare time reading, playing indie video games, and enjoying the Seattle rain from her apartment. She lives with her husband Steven who would rather enjoy the rain from a campsite in the woods because he hasn't played enough horror games. Brittney is the founder and former president of the Boston University Creative Writing Club, and her work has been published in The Boston University Chimaerid Literary Magazine. She is a four-time NaNoWriMo winner and a 2018 Pitch Wars mentor.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

CAN'T WAIT TO READ: The Resolutions by Mia Garcia

Release date: November 13th 2018
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

New Years are for fresh starts, but Jess just wants everything to go back to the way it was.

From hiking trips, to four-person birthday parties, to never-ending group texts, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora have always been inseparable—and unstoppable. But now, with senior year on the horizon, they’ve been splintering off and growing apart. And so, as always, Jess makes a plan.

Reinstating their usual tradition of making resolutions together on New Year’s Eve, Jess adds a new twist: instead of making their own resolutions, the four friends assign them for each other—dares like kiss someone you know is wrong for you, show your paintings, learn Spanish, say yes to everything.

But not even the best laid plans can take into account the uncertainties of life. As the year unfolds, Jess, Ryan, Nora, and Lee each test the bonds that hold them together. And amid first loves, heart breaks, and life-changing decisions, beginning again is never as simple as it seems.

About the Author

Mia García was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but now lives in New York under a pile of to-be-read books. Mia earned her MFA from the New School. She is the author of Even If the Sky Falls.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

CAN'T WAIT TO READ: This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow

Release date: November 6th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

It doesn’t matter what the prize for the Sun City Originals contest is this year.

Who cares that’s it’s fifteen grand? Who cares about a gig opening for one of the greatest bands to ever play this town?

Not Dia, that’s for sure. Because Dia knows that without a band, she hasn’t got a shot at winning Sun City. Because ever since Hanna’s drinking took over her life, Dia and Jules haven’t been in it. And ever since Hanna left — well, there hasn’t been a band.

It used to be the three of them, Dia, Jules, and Hanna, messing around and making music and planning for the future. But that was then, and this is now — and now means a baby, a failed relationship, a stint in rehab, all kinds of off beats that have interrupted the rhythm of their friendship. No contest can change that. Right?

But like the lyrics of a song you used to play on repeat, there’s no forgetting a best friend. And for Dia, Jules, and Hanna, this impossible challenge — to ignore the past, in order to jumpstart the future — will only become possible if they finally make peace with the girls they once were, and the girls they are finally letting themselves be.

Rebecca Barrow’s tender story of friendship, music, and ferocious love asks — what will you fight for, if not yourself?

About the Author

Rebecca Barrow is the author of You Don't Know Me But I Know You. She writes stories about girls and all the wonders they can be. A lipstick obsessive with the ability to quote the entirety of Mean Girls, she lives in England, where it rains a considerable amount more than in the fictional worlds of her characters. She collects tattoos, cats, and more books than she could ever possibly read. 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Review: Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now by Dana L. Davis

Release date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

For sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly, life hasn’t been safe or normal for a while. Losing her mom to cancer has her a little bit traumatized and now she has to leave her hometown of Chicago to live with the biological dad she’s never known.

Anthony Stone is a rich man with four other daughters—and rules for every second of the day. Tiffany tries to make the best of things, but she doesn’t fit into her new luxurious, but super-strict, home—or get along with her standoffish sister London. The only thing that makes her new life even remotely bearable is the strange boy across the street. Marcus McKinney has had his own experiences with death, and the unexpected friendship that blossoms between them is the only thing that makes her feel grounded.

But Tiffany has a secret. Another man claims he’s Tiffany’s real dad—and she only has seven days before he shows up to demand a paternity test and the truth comes out. With her life about to fall apart all over again, Tiffany finds herself discovering unexpected truths about her father, her mother and herself, and realizing that maybe family is in the bonds you make—and that life means sometimes taking risks.

*Publisher provided ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this story! Tiffany Sly Lives Here is full of humor, sad and relatable moments, a complex family situation, and interesting neighbors one might call crazy but I found it all refreshingly different. A wonderful novel from a great storyteller. 

Tiffany has recently lost her mother to cancer and is preparing to leave her grandmother, best friend, and all that is familiar and safe behind to move in with a father she knows nothing about. But before leaving Chicago, another man comes forward claiming to be her real father. Fearing she might end up in an episode of Maury with paternity test drama, Tiffany keeps this to herself and still leaves her hometown, which I understand because that's a lot to deal with on top of her mother's death. To Tiffany's surprise, her rich father has a wife and four other children. No one prepared her for that, and she was certainly not expecting Anthony Stone to be so religious and controlling. His character had me rolling my eyes and shaking my head constantly. And every time he'd say something inconsiderate or just utterly off, I'd get frustrated with his wife and wish for Tiffany to tell him about her other father. 

It was easy to hope one man was her real father, just for being so polar opposite to the other and being so much nicer and open. But even while Tiffany was having a hard time, she had a gut feeling who her real father was. 

Aside from the two father drama of the story, I did like her younger siblings, even London. No matter how stuck-up she was. Her attitude was kind of understandable, being that she was the eldest for a while and here comes this other older daughter changing things up in her life. London's character was a story in itself and admittedly, I laughed when she ended up in that dilemma because of how she presented herself to the outside world. 

There were other interesting aspects of the story that took us away from the family drama now and then. For instance, I liked the moments where Tiffany made an effort with her stepmother and was willing to help with her youngest sister. It always brought a smile to my face and I wished Anthony would make as much of an effort. And the Stones' neighbors and their son were such lovable people. Tiffany's connection with Marcus was a delight, accepting him in spite of his difference and how everyone else treated him. Marcus has a warm and polite nature. It was so sad learning about his problem, but I loved that he lived without fear and celebrated every moment with his family. More power to him and his mothers.

I don't want to give too much away. I'll just conclude by saying this story will have you laughing, clenching your fists in anger, and tearing up. And you go through these emotions from start to finish. It's one of those books you don't want to pass on. I highly recommend reading this one! 

~TRAILER~

About the Author

Dana L. Davis is a writer of novels for teens, and also a successful Hollywood actress with previous series regular roles as: Carmen Phillips on TNT’s Franklin and Bash, head Cheerleader Chastity Church on 10 Things I Hate About You; modern day mimic Monica Dawson on NBC’s cult series Heroes; and Felica Jones on ABC’s The Nine. In addition to her work on screen, Dana has become a motivational speaker for teens. Her stirring assemblies empower and encourage youth, gifting them the tools and steps to value their inner beauty. Davis was raised in the Midwest and currently resides in Los Angeles with her 5-year-old daughter.

WEBSITE | TWITTER

Review: Keep Her Safe by K.A. Tucker

Release date: January 23rd 2018
Publisher: Atria Books
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

Complex, gritty, sexy, and thrilling, Keep Her Safe solidifies K.A. Tucker's reputation as one of today's most talented new voices in romantic suspense.

*Received a physical copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

I'm a lover of suspense and Tucker is one of my favorites in that genre. Keep Her Safe is my kind of read, a slow build yet thrilling story bound to keep you hooked until the last page.

This novel intrigues you right away. I immediately attached myself to Noah and the whole situation with his mom. He seemed like such a goody-goody who always did the right thing so I wanted to know what was up with his mother and what part she played in a long cover-up that was obviously destroying her mental state. 

As for Gracie, her gritty character doesn't really come off likable but I understood why she was like that. She had to be tough and wary of everyone who came around her. After all, she and her mother went through a lot, and in comparison to Noah, they didn't have a great life full of opportunities, especially with the horrible picture their hometown and police painted of Gracie's father.

The interactions between the two characters were always interesting. I liked that there wasn't anything instant, though, and that it took a while for both to open up. My hope for growth between them kept me reading, but the mystery surrounding Gracie's father also had my interest. Honestly, I knew a certain someone was involved, with how evasive he seemed throughout, but I wanted to understand why and also get clarity on what went down all those years ago.

Again, this is a great story with Tucker at her best. I don't want to give too much away, the only thing left for me to say is to give it a read if you're looking for a suspense that's not too fast or overwhelming. It's just right.

About the Author

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge. 

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 16 books, including Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water, and her upcoming Adult Suspense novel, Keep Her Safe. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. 

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband and two beautiful girls.

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Guest Post & Giveaway: Full Circle by Regina Timothy

Release date: December 24th 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, Samia-Al-Sayyid an Iraqi immigrant is living a quiet life in New York City after she fled her home to avoid imminent death.

She works hard for her cold, heartless, high-strung boss, loves her seventeen-years-old-son, and cherishes the close friendship she has formed with her best friend Susan.

Nothing can go wrong, or so she thinks – until the estranged brother she left back in Iraqi shows up on her door step. Then she finds herself in a cab, on her way to the hospital to identify her son, a terror suspect who has blown the city, and with it her boss’ husband, and her best friend’s son. With everything lost, she is forced to flee to Iraq where she confronts her past. Will she make peace with her past? Can she get forgiveness for all the damage she has caused?

Full Circle is a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. It explores the devastation of loss, the great capacity to forgive and the lengths our loved ones will go to protect us.

~GUEST POST~

First of all, let me say I’m greatly honored and humbled to be here – thank you so much, Shane. I welcome the opportunity to chat about my debut book Full Circle, a  contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. 

My name is Regina and I grew up in Kenya. Growing up, I enjoyed writing assignments at school and was encouraged by a teacher to polish my skill. Instead, I ended up studying engineering and worked in the field for a while. I’ve always enjoyed writing essays and poetry but I never pursued it much until a few of years ago when I began writing Full Circle.

A great source of writing inspiration for me is what I observe around me. People, events, and sometimes things get me thinking. The War in the Middle East has been with us for almost two decades now, and there is no clear solution on the horizon. A lot has been written about the direct and indirect effect this situation has on the everyday women. I liked the idea of adding a new voice to these stories.

The story follows the main character Samia-al-Sayyid, a 33-year-old Iraqi immigrant living in the U.S. She overcomes a lot and works so hard to make a good life for her teenage son. In the end, it seems all her all her efforts are not enough. When I began writing the book, I wanted it to be about three different women living in three different continents and influenced by different cultures and beliefs. The idea was to bring the three women together later in the book and have them discover that despite their circumstances, they face the same trials imposed by society. 

Samia was the first character I came up with. The more I wrote about her the more her story became complex and I felt she needed a lot more space than a few chapters to tell her story. So I decided to dedicate the entire book to her and follow her journey. I brought in Melisa and Susan, to help Samia tell her story and bring out the original idea of the book that despite their different circumstances, they faced the same demons. 

It was especially important to me for the story to revolve around Samia and touch on her Middle Eastern background. There have been a lot of calls for diversity in the books being published. This is because research has shown there’s been a glaring lack of diversity in writers and the books being published in mainstream fiction. #WeNeedDiverseBooks and #WeNeedDiverseWriters campaigns have been running for a few years to call attention to the lack of diversity when it comes to the book characters and the writers who tell the stories. I felt Full Circle will play a small role in bringing diversity into our reading world.

About the Author

Regina lives in a picturesque village in Kenya where she enjoys amazing landscapes, exotic wildlife, and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. She always had active imagination. By chance, she started blogging in 2010, which rekindled her love for writing and telling stories. When not writing she enjoys watching classic movies (she’s a movie buff), going to the theater and auto shows. 

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CAN'T WAIT TO READ: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Series: Legacy of Orisha #1
Release date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. 

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. 

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

About the Author

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer and creative writing coach based in San Diego, California. Her debut novel, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, comes out March 6th, 2018 and the movie is currently in development at Fox with the producers of Twilight and The Maze Runner attached. After graduating Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not working on her novels or watching Scandal, she can be found blogging and teaching creative writing to her 3,500 subscribers at tomiadeyemi.com. Her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

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CAN'T WAIT TO READ: Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Release date: January 16th 2018
Publisher: Soho Teem
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape--perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacqueline Woodson, and Adam Silvera.

Maya Aziz is torn between futures: the one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter (i.e.; staying nearby in Chicago and being matched with a "suitable" Muslim boy), and the one where she goes to film school in New York City--and maybe, just maybe, kisses a guy she's only known from afar. There's the also the fun stuff, like laughing with her best friend Violet, making on-the-spot documentaries, sneaking away for private swimming lessons at a secret pond in the woods. But her world is shattered when a suicide bomber strikes in the American heartland; by chance, he shares Maya's last name. What happens to the one Muslim family in town when their community is suddenly consumed with hatred and fear?

About the Author

SAMIRA AHMED was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, Illinois, in a house that smelled like fried onions, spices, and potpourri. She currently resides in the Midwest. She’s lived in Vermont, New York City, and Kauai, where she spent a year searching for the perfect mango.

A graduate of the University of Chicago, she taught high school English for seven years, worked to create over 70 small high schools in New York City, and fought to secure billions of additional dollars to fairly fund public schools throughout New York State. She’s appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Fox News, NBC, NY1, NPR, and on BBC Radio. Her creative non-fiction and poetry has appeared in Jaggery Lit, Entropy, the Fem, and Claudius Speaks.

www.samiraahmed.com | TWITTER