Growing up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, Ms. Brown writes, “I had to learn what it means to love blackness,” a journey that led to a lifetime spent navigating America’s racial divide as a writer, speaker and expert who helps organizations practice genuine inclusion. In this “Meet Our Author” interview, Ms. Brown discusses her path to becoming a published author, the process of chronicling her experiences in book form, why Convergent was the best publishing home for I’M STILL HERE, and what she hopes readers will recognize, consider and take to heart. What inspired you to develop your writing talents and become an author? I have always loved reading and admired authors, but I never imagined I could be one! The experience of blogging gave me the first taste of possibility. I am so grateful for the ways technology has opened doors of opportunity. Once I started blogging, then I had friends and mentors who really encouraged me to take writing to a new level by writing articles and then a book. How would you describe the genesis of this book and the process of deciding what experiences to chronicle and which points to emphasize? The genesis of this book was hard won. It took me quite a bit of time to figure out who I am as an author. It felt so big – writing a book. I thought I had to pretend to be a historian or theologian or academic of some kind. Eventually I had to realize that what I am an expert in is my life experience. I can bring in some of those other elements, but I had to embrace me first. I was very inspired by two works of art: BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME by Ta-Nehisi Coates and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuff by Ntozake Shange. I really wondered what it would like to have a book that sort of lived at the intersection of those two works – really addressing race in America like Coates, but focusing intentionally on the experiences of black women like Shange. Once I had that mission in mind, it became much easier to organize the content around those two ideas. Why is Convergent the best publishing home for I’M STILL HERE? There are a few reasons why Convergent was the best place for I’M STILL HERE. It was really important to me that my voice remain true. I didn’t want to be tampered down, from being able to use four-letter words when appropriate to not making my voice softer or more palatable. As a black woman, talking about race I knew many publishers would be tempted to smooth over my rough edges to make the book as universal as possible. I liked that Convergent seemed to appreciate my edges rather than desire to erase them. Also when I talked to the Convergent team about my proposal, they just seemed to "get it." We had a really rich conversation building on one another’s ideas. I knew they understood what I was trying to do, and I trusted they could make the project better. What elements of your book do you hope will resonate most strongly with readers? I hope that readers will begin to give greater consideration to the inherent dignity of black bodies, black culture, and all that black history has given to America.  

The bubbly flowed again when Fat Rice chef Abraham Conlon, co-author of THE ADVENTURES OF FAT RICE: Recipes from the Chicago Restaurant Inspired by Macau (Ten Speed Press), won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. Congratulations to Ms. Hamilton and Mr. Conlon as well as their editors and publishers. View the complete list of 2018 James Beard Foundation Chef and Restaurant Awards winners here.

[caption id="attachment_112390" align="alignright" width="214"] Michelle Obama, Credit David Slijper[/caption] Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s much-anticipated memoir, BECOMING, will be published in the U.S. and Canada on November 13, 2018, by Crown, and will be released simultaneously in 24 languages. Considered one of the most popular First Ladies of recent times, Mrs. Obama in her book invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. Warm, wise, and revelatory, BECOMING is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Michelle Obama has described writing BECOMING as “a deeply personal experience. It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can’t wait to share my story.” A product of Chicago public schools, Obama studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Mrs. Obama started her career as an attorney at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She later worked in the Chicago mayor’s office, at the University of Chicago, and at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Mrs. Obama also founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that prepares young people for careers in public service. For more information, visit the ALA Conference website.

WHISPER by Mark Batterson won the Christian Living Award. FOLLOW THE CLOUD by John Stickl won in the New Author category. Congratulations to our authors, their publishing teams, and everyone at Multnomah and CPG. View the complete list of the 2018 Christian Book Award winners here. The Christian Book Award program has recognized the highest quality in Christian books since 1978. Based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact, the Christian Book Award program is the oldest and among the most prestigious awards in the religious publishing industry. The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, formed in 1974, is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide.

COOKBOOK Beverage MEEHAN’S BARTENDER MANUAL by Jim Meehan (Ten Speed Press) International NOPALITO by Gonzalo Guzman and Stacy Adimando (Ten Speed Press) Reference, History, and Scholarship CHAMPAGNE by Peter Liem (Ten Speed Press) Single Subject THE PHO COOKBOOK by Andrea Nguyen (Ten Speed Press)   BROADCAST MEDIA Television Program, in Studio or Fixed Location “Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro,” Ina Garten, Food Network (Garten’s upcoming Clarkson Potter book, COOK LIKE A PRO, will be published 10/23/18)   JOURNALISM Innovative Storytelling Melissa Clark, “The New Essentials of French Cooking,” The New York Times (Author of DINNER: Changing the Game, Clarkson Potter)   Congratulations to all of our prize-winning authors, as well as their editors and publishers. View the complete list of James Beard Foundation 2018 Cookbook, Journalism, and Broadcast Media Awards winners here. Winners of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Restaurant & Chef Awards (Ten Speed Press, Lorena Jones Books and Clarkson Potter authors/chefs/restaurateurs have 17 nominations among them) will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on May 7.