Black Literary Events
The Black literary event scene has exploded, with events happening across the country. From one-day signings to multi-day festivals, readers can meet their favorite authors one day and join them for pajama parties or brunches the next.
For Black authors, this is an opportunity to connect with their readers and meet new book lovers who are excited to discover and support their work.
For Black readers, these events give them a chance to travel to a new city or stay local and meet their favorite authors while connecting in person with the readers they’ve built a community with online.
We’ve all seen the photos and videos that hit our timelines after a book event. The outfits, the laughter, the panels, and of course, the critiques!
Readers will always let us know what they loved, what they liked, and what they could definitely do without.
But rarely do we see the people behind the scenes, the event planners who put in the work to make it all happen. The budgets, the teams, the decisions… all of it. Half the time, we don’t even know the entire team behind the event, making the magic come to life.
I wanted to bring some of the event planners who make these events possible and have an open and honest conversation about what it really takes to make a literary event happen.
Joslyn Marks is the founder of Indie Love, a boutique literary event launched in 2015 that celebrates African American literature and uplifts independent authors.
Tamika is the Founder and CEO of Black Girls Who Write®️, a community she launched in 2020 to amplify and support Black indie authors. She also produces literary events like The House Party Experience by Alexandria House and manages social media for One Love Reunion by A.C. Arthur.
Lauren Lacey is a romance author and founder of the Black Romance Book Festival, launching in 2025 to celebrate Black love, storytelling, and culture.
Together, these women have created unforgettable book events for Black authors and hundreds of readers.
This episode is the first in a new series: Beyond the Pen, where I converse with people in the literary space that we rarely see, but they help make the Black literary space go round.
