Author Visits
Author visits are free for all subscribers.
I look forward to these author visits from nonfiction and fiction writers who generously share advice and insights from their creative journeys. We discuss their books and have conversations about storytelling themes and how writers tell their stories through different types of books and creative projects.
Our discussions include topics like:
Creative process and best practices for self-care as a writer
Journey to publication, pros and cons of traditional vs. self-publishing + lessons learned
Balancing the art, craft, and business of writing
Deciding on themes and how to make decisions around how much of their personal stories to share in their books
Coping with self-doubt, perfectionism, distractions, conflicting priorities, and other challenges
Please note: These sessions are open to all. The video from the most recent chat will be available until the next one comes up—usually at least 30 days, often longer—so you’ll have plenty of time to watch. To access the archives, you can upgrade and join the Inner Story Writing Circle.
Our next guest is:
Rowana Abbensetts- Dobson
We will be chatting about her creative journey, process, and experience writing her novel, Departure Story.
Rowana Abbensetts- Dobson (She/her/hers) is a wordsmith and editor from Brooklyn, NY. She holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Kenyon College. As a lifelong writer, she has made it her mission to help women heal through telling her own story and inspiring others to do the same. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Spokenblackgirl.com, a publication designed for women of color to share mental and emotional holistic wellness experiences.
You can connect with Rowana and learn more about her work through her website.
Love knows no borders and comes in the most unexpected packages. Celestine Samuels is making the biggest trip of her life, from Guyana to the United States for college. At first, she is relieved to get away from her primadonna sister, neglectful mother, and troublemaker brother and eager to embrace the new freedoms of the United States like Starbucks, bagels, and wild college parties. Reality sets in when she gets the news that her aunt and Uncle in Guyana have been shot in an act of political violence. Unable to go home, Celestine decides to find justice by championing the cause of an African Dance group on her small midwestern campus. Meanwhile, matters of the heart couldn't be more confusing. She finds herself entangled in a situationship with classmate and photographer, Richard Wirth, while she can't help her curiosity about the obnoxiously cocky football star Don Bradford who also happens to be her fellow student council representative. No matter how far she travels, "Home" keeps haunting her dreams, leading her to question unforgivable family secrets, and search for answers she may not want to know.
Departure Story is the debut novel from writer, editor & founder of Spoken Black Girl, Rowana Abbensetts-Dobson. In this harrowing coming of age tale, Abbensetts explores the many dilemmas that come up for a Black woman immigrant finding her voice and searching for community in the American midwest. The book poses questions about identity, politics, mental health, and sexuality while addressing the cultural taboos and stigmas that reinforce generational trauma.
Just a heads-up: The video will be available until the next author chat—usually at least 30 days—so you’ll have plenty of time to watch. If you’re a member of the Inner Story Writing Circle, you can enjoy access to the full archive of all past author chats anytime. Learn more here.
