OUR SHOUTS ECHO out everywhere!
The world is always ending. We stay in love.
OUR SHOUTS ECHO is officially out in the world :)
Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered the book, added it on Goodreads, posted online about it, and recommended it to a friend. Publishing is a game of small numbers where every single book purchase has a big impact. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting this book.
Yesterday to celebrate, I spent the day at the beach with my mom.
It felt fitting because several key scenes in OUR SHOUTS ECHO take place at the beach. There’s still far too little representation of people of color out in nature -- surfing, hiking, hanging out in parks, etc. One of my goals with writing this book the way that I did was to hopefully affirm the existence of outdoorsy Black & brown kids while also encouraging more young people to take up space outdoors.
Fun Fact: there’s a very ridiculous scene early on in the book when the main character does something embarrassing at a beach bonfire with her new friends during her very first time experimenting with weed* that is unfortunately inspired by a true story (sorry, Mom! lol). I’ve been told by several early readers that it’s one of their favorite moments in the book. As an author, it’s always nice to know that turning humiliating moments from my youth into literature does in fact pay off.
But there are also several other beach scenes throughout that range from thoughtful to tender. I’ve always felt like the ocean is a pretty apt metaphor for depression, existential dread, overwhelm, etc, so there’s lots of water in the story. Also the love interest Mac is a surfer, so… <3
*Before you get too scandalized and raise your eyebrows at the mention of marijuana in a YA book (!!) please trust me that the conversations around teen drug and alcohol use in this book are incredibly nuanced. It’s actually an aspect of the story that I’m quite proud of. The book takes an honest, harm-reduction approach to these issues, which is explored in the relationship between Niarah and her new friend, Andrew.
Anyway, after the beach, I went to Wi Spa and stayed there literally for seven hours lmao
I needed to sweat out all of the stress of bringing this book to life. It felt good.
OKAY ENOUGH RAMBLING. WHAT’S THE POINT OF THIS NEWSLETTER TODAY?
It’s just to say Thank You!
Launching a book is often so hard and so demoralizing, but every single ounce of support from you, dear newsletter readers, truly means a lot.
I know this newsletter typically only goes out once a month, so I thank you for your patience as I’ve double-dipped in August to shout about SHOUTS.
If you’re looking for more ways to support, you can:
Add OUR SHOUTS ECHO on Goodreads
Leave a book review on Amazon or wherever you purchased
Request it from your local library
Listen to the audiobook! And let me know how it is! I’m sure it’s fantastic, but I am physically incapable of listening to my own writing because it gives me the ick lol. You know the feeling when you listen to a recording of your own voice and it immediately induces fierce self-loathing? Even though I’m not reading the audiobook (it’s actually read by a wildly talented award-winning audiobook narrator named Tyla Collier), I still get that same, “oh my god pls just push me off a bridge” feeling when I hear my own words out loud. I wonder if all writers are this neurotic or if it’s just me… Another issue to explore at a later time.
IF YOU’RE IN LOS ANGELES TOMORROW…
Come stop by my launch event at Reparations Club (3054 S Victoria Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90016)!! 7pm!! There will be cupcakes!!
WHAT I’M READING/LISTENING TO/WATCHING
Reading: When Sea Becomes Sun by Gillian McDunn
I’m trying to read more Middle Grade novels (aka literature intended for kids ages 8 - 12) and I’m halfway through this very beautifully-written contemporary novel
Listening: Hannah Sun by Lomelda is literally the *perfect* end of summer song (shoutout to the homie Max for putting me on)
Watching: Batman: Caped Crusader because if you read this newsletter you know I LOVE BATMAN. It’s too early for me to say what I think of this show, but just know that I’m locked in.
And that’s it! I’ll leave you today with my favorite lines from OUR SHOUTS ECHO, which happen to be the very last lines of the book. You’ll have to read it to get the full meaning, but even without context, I hope it brings you some comfort today to know:
I just finished reading Our Shouts Echo from my local library, and yup. THAT ENDING. Was definitely a cathartic cry waiting to unfold. I have so much I want to say and so much I feel I simply can’t for the lack of emotional energy or maybe just for being too emotionally ignorant to be able to idk.
What I will say is… Thank You.
For writing this book.
For being vulnerable and then sharing it with the world
And for just- for existing
Thank you, I adore the way your brain works and I hope I one day get to tell you in person.