Write of Passage by Vanessa Riley

Three Lessons About Joy and Messes

What if the best thing that happened to you this week was the thing you didn’t want?A canceled flight. A collapsed bookcase. An unexpected lesson about time. Today, I’m sharing three lessons about joy, messes, and the surprising gifts hidden inside life’s interruptions.Three Lessons About Joy and MessesThree things happened within roughly the same stretch of time.The first was an incredible weekend in Nantucket with my daughter. It was the ultimate girls’ trip—great food, great company, wonderful conversations, and the chance to explore museums, historical sites, and a place filled with stories. We laughed, wandered, and simply enjoyed being together. It was intentional time. Planned time. Chosen time.The second thing was completely unexpected.Mr. Weather decided we weren’t leaving when we thought we would. A canceled flight forced us to stay overnight, which led us to spend a day at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. And honestly? It was magical.Expensive, yes—but magical.We wandered through the restored 1960s hair salon, explored the airplane turned cocktail lounge, and admired the sweeping curves of the architecture. The rounded concrete forms and futuristic design made it feel as if we had stepped back into another era. Watching my daughter’s eyes light up was perhaps the best part. As a budding architect, she noticed every detail, every design choice, every intentional curve and angle. What could have been an inconvenience became an adventure.And then there was the third thing.A bookcase that had been warning me for months that it was in trouble finally gave up the fight. It crashed. Spectacularly.Books everywhere.Hundreds of them.The floor disappeared beneath a sea of hardcovers, paperbacks, research materials, and treasures collected over years.Unlike Nantucket, this wasn’t something I wanted to do.Unlike the weather delay, it wasn’t unexpected.It was something I knew needed attention and chose to ignore.The pile demanded my time.Now what do all three experiences have in common.Time.One was time I deliberately chose.One was time unexpectedly given.And one was time owed but thought the problem could wait.Life is always moving forward, and sometimes we get to decide exactly how we’ll spend our time. Other times, circumstances decide for us. Some things arrive as gifts. Some arrive as burdens. And then we get those as warnings of a future time sink that we ignore.But what if we approached all of it with the same attitude?What if every moment became an opportunity for exploration?What can we learn?What can we share?What joy can come from it?Finding joy in Nantucket wasn’t difficult. Being with my daughter was a joy. Every conversation, every laugh, every walk through a museum or hanging with other writers reminded me how precious shared experiences can be.Finding joy in an unexpected airport hotel stay wasn’t difficult either. Adventure often hides inside inconvenience if we’re willing to look for it.The fallen bookcase, however, required a different kind of joy.Because when I looked at that mess, I realized I had choices.I could pile the books in a corner and move on.Or I could use the moment as an opportunity.Maybe it’s time to redesign my office.Maybe it’s time to give everything a permanent home.Maybe it’s time to display the objects that inspire me every day when I sit down to work.And what about that desk?It’s too big.It’s cluttered.It’s become claustrophobic.Maybe it’s time for that to go too.My workspace should reflect who I’ve become.Writing is not a hobby for me.For some people, it may be. But for me, it’s work. It’s my livelihood. It’s bread and butter. Its purpose and profession wrapped together.My office should reflect the writer I’ve become, not the writer I used to be.That means making hard choices.Some books will stay.The research books? They’re never leaving. Those are tools of the trade. They need to be dusted, organized, protected, and placed where I can easily access them.But do I need multiple copies of the same book?Probably not.Some of my collection will find new homes in Little Free Libraries across Atlanta, where they’ll continue their journey with new readers.Collectors understand this struggle. We love our treasures. But sometimes holding on to everything prevents us from making room for what’s next.And that’s really the lesson.Somewhere between the planned retreat, the canceled flight, and the collapsed bookcase, I found a reminder that peace isn’t found only in perfect circumstances.Sometimes peace is released in how we respond.There’s wisdom hidden in delays.And we should find gratitude in survivable messes.Life is made up of choices.The expected and unexpected.The joyful and the inconvenient.The burdensome and the beautiful.Every moment asks something of us. The question is whether we are listening.This week’s book list:The Midnight Library by Matt HaigA beautiful meditation on choices, alternate paths, regret, and learning to appreciate the life you’re actually living.The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow)A bookseller’s carefully ordered life is repeatedly interrupted by unexpected events that ultimately transform him.Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (author of American Marriage and recent hit, Kin)This novel is about the lives we plan, the lives we inherit, and the consequences of choices made long before we understand them.And since it’s still Obama week, The Light We Carry by Michelle ObamaThis book delves into finding steadiness amid uncertainty. Get caught in a discussion about resilience, adaptation, and discovering purpose during unexpected transitions.A Deal at Dawn by Vanessa Riley — Jahleel and Katherine embrace devastating, unexpected turns, make difficult choices, and discover that the life they need is nothing they planned for. Let the games begin. Releases June 30th. Preorder and ask for it at your library.Get these books from The Book Cellar, in Conyers, GA. They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com, under the podcast link in the About tab.Let’s keep rising and creating together. I need you. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to Write of Passage.Thank you for being here.I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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The Writer’s Greatest Gift

1w ago00:21:16Tap to summarize

Hello, friends. I’m Vanessa Riley, and this week I’m coming to you from beautiful Nantucket. Join me for this conversation with bestselling author Dawn Tripp at the Nantucket Book Festival. Our conversation, two fellow storytellers, we talk about the magic behind Fire Sword and Sea. Welcome to our talkVanessa and Dawn TrippHello, friends. I’m Vanessa Riley, coming to you from beautiful Nantucket. Join me as I explore the Nantucket Book Festival, meet fellow storytellers, and share the magic behind Fire Sword and Sea. Welcome to the journey.Please come back next week for more Write of Passage! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Everybody Loves Justice Until It Costs Something

2w ago00:18:38Tap to summarize

In a world where silence is profitable and outrage is performative, character still matters. Today I’m asking you a simple question with complicated consequences: Shall you take a stand, or stay seated?Take a Stand or Take a SeatI was watching The New York Times interview with Scott Pelley when the reporter asked him to respond to a statement celebrating his firing from 60 Minutes.The president called him “stiff” and part of a “gang of stupid, crooked people that don’t care about the country.”Pelley’s response is both tactful and visceral. He didn’t seem to care about being fired for his beliefs. He didn’t seem concerned about answering to power. He stood up right and got fired, when so many others might have said nothing, kept their seats, and protected their paychecks.I get it.It’s tough out here.According to Stanford’s 2026 AI Index Report, 90% of companies using AI-assisted applicant evaluations retain candidate scores for up to 330 days. That means one bad assessment, one poorly matched resume, or one automated rejection can effectively lock you out of opportunities for nearly a year. AI adoption is growing faster than ever. Yet brave researchers buck the trends and report inconsistencies and limitations in these systems. But that doesn’t help if you’re caught in that 330-day lockout.So yes, I understand why people say nothing and cling to their jobs.But if an environment demands that you surrender your values to keep your position, it might be worth considering an exit strategy.Quiet quit.Update your résumé.Find another lane.Because an environment with no morals will eventually consume yours.Back to Scott.Accused of being crooked and seditious, he swallows and carefully chooses his words. There’s still more to lose because leadership is being weaponized.I remember a time when, regardless of party, there was at least an expectation that the occupants of the highest offices in the land would demonstrate empathy and respect for all Americans. Those days feel very far away.So hearing a journalist described as a “stiff” who “doesn’t care about the country” because he asked difficult questions- well, let’s just call it disappointing.Watching a news veteran like Scott Pelley visibly choke up when responding to the accusation was moving.In his interview, Pelley reminded viewers that while he never served in uniform, he spent years reporting from war zones.“I’ve been in combat for this country in Afghanistan and Iraq. I’ve spent nights in foxholes. You become a journalist because you love the First Amendment. There is no democracy without journalism.”Scott is someone who stood up and risked his life in pursuit of truth.It reminds me of people throughout history who believed in something enough to sacrifice for it.People who risked financial ruin. People who lost family members. People who gave up comfort, status, and sometimes their lives for truth or some big principle.In an age where everything feels transactional, people like Pelley or Ida B Wells show us that there are things worth fighting for.The current political and cultural climate sharply reveals the difference between true allyship and performative allyship.Sitting back, waiting for things to change, costs women—particularly Black women and women of color.But Vanessa, I’m scared.I get it. Some things are triggering. I understand that. Everyone must have their own standards and beliefs. But don’t expect others to help you when you are the one in the line of fire.For me, I believe in the dignity of the human experience. You see my pen write this experience in a Fire Sword and Sea. In the beginning, Jacquotte is a passionate screw-up, but she finds her calling, rises to her feet, and becomes a captain leading an integrated crew of men and women.I believe laughter is still the best medicine. You see that in A Deal at Dawn when enemies-to-lovers laugh about old times while dealing with the enemy, chronic illness.I believe hard work matters.I believe prayer matters.And I still believe that when you focus, work, and persist, you can move closer to the desires of your heart.But what troubles me is how often public virtue has become performance.In 2020 people in publishing sat at home posting black squares. These posts on Instagram cost them nothing. And when many of their Black and brown colleagues were fired in 22-24, they didn’t post anything.A black square requires no sacrifice. No difficult conversations. No risk. No courage at all.There’s nothing wrong with capitalism. Nothing wrong with protecting your peace and your pockets. Just don’t confuse me by making me think you care. I’d respect you more if you were openly scheming aka JR Ewing of Dallas not that backstabbing Iago from Othello. Please don’t be the deceiving Uriah Heep from David Copperfield—humble while plotting my doom.I don’t need that kind of disappointment and heartache in my life.But this is America.Companies can hire and fire people for many reasons. In most places, employment remains largely at-will.If there was a legal way to know the workplace is amoral, doesn’t like to hire women, is loath to put a Black woman in charge—I’d like to know. Is that a Reddit or Threads feed?If you have preferences or prejudices, own it. Trust me. We expect you to stay in your seat, way over there.In a matter, I truly want to call, “ You don’t want us, so leave us alone,”There’s a lawsuit filed by Colorado dermatologist Dr. Travis Morrell and the advocacy group, Do No Harm, against Find A Black Doctor, a directory created to help patients locate Black physicians. The lawsuit argues that restricting listings to Black doctors constitutes discrimination.The irony is hard to ignore.Black Americans make up only a small percentage of physicians nationwide. Patients often seek doctors who understand their cultural experiences:John Hopkins has found:Black patients are much more likely than white patients to discover language in those records that indicates they are not believed by their physicians. - What in the DEI?So let me get this straight. Instead of building new resources or even working to dismantle disparities, you’d rather dismantle a system trying to fix it. Dr. Morrell be honest.Black people constitute 4% of Colorado. Perhaps this doctor and his conservative group should spend more on advertising to reach that 4% or I don’t know…post some research to show how your treatments benefit Black skin. But you can’t because all skin matters, even if some hydrate and respond differently.The question isn’t really lotion. It’s access.Deep down, it’s ownership.Who gets to create community spaces? Who plans where the number of tables and where the seats go?And who gets to benefit from the dollars at those tables?Meanwhile, small farmers continue to discover what happens when their voting preferences have real-world consequences.The current administration has issued federal cuts reducing funding for local food purchasing programs that used small farms to service schools and food banks. Farmers like Iowan Anna Pesek have warned that losing this funding hurts already razor-thin margins and weakens local food economies.At the same time, Congress has advanced proposals to reduce WIC funding by $200 million. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, those cuts could reduce fruit and vegetable benefits by more than $141 million for approximately 5.4 million women and children.Actions have consequences.Votes have consequences.Policies have consequences.Character has consequences.Demonizing programs that helped the elderly, moms, and children now hurts small farms. Generational legacies are being lost. These are consequences.I care about lost legacies. It hurts a lot of tables. Farms collapsing is a recipe for humanitarian and economic disasters.So what are you saying, Vanessa. Well, have a seat.I need you to think about what you stand for. I want you to think long and hard about it.Make up your mind with facts, not social media or even online essays like this.I spend a fair amount of time on social media. Social media can be fun, informative, a start point.But it is first and foremost a commerce lane. For authors, we use it to scream, stand up for causes and especially, marketing.Most writers would gladly choose a quiet afternoon...

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Move That Dang Rock

3w ago00:12:01Tap to summarize

What’s holding you back?Is it what they did? Is it some failing from years ago? Or is it what somebody said that shook you?I am a cross between the “name it and claim it” generation and the put-a-root-and-an-evil-eye-on-it people. But somewhere between faith and magic, between action and waiting, there’s something we are doing wrong.Move That Dang Rock: What’s Really Holding You Back?This weekend, I found myself in a room with thousands of Black women readers. The ladies had traveled across the country to buy books from Black authors, meet their favorite writers, and celebrate stories that center Black love, Black joy, and Black hope.It was the second Black Romance Book Fest.What amazes me most is that this gathering started as the dream of one indie author, Lauren Lacey. She imagined a place that would become a pilgrimage site for readers seeking stories where melanated heroes and heroines got happy endings.The publishing industry told her it couldn’t be done.Some said no one would come.Others suggested this was a pipe dream. Still others questioned if this market existed.Many stayed quiet, sneering that she’d soon learn that Black readers didn’t matter enough to build something big.Lauren didn’t listen.She didn’t waste her energy arguing with people who couldn’t see her vision. She didn’t spend years waiting for permission. She simply started building.Today, the Black Romance Book Fest is one of the largest gatherings of Black readers in the country. Thousands of readers fill these rooms. Authors sold books. Friendships were formed or renewed. Community became stronger.All because one person refused to let doubt become destiny.Now, some people might ask, “Why create something separate? Aren’t there already plenty of book festivals?”Let me explain it this way.Have you ever ordered a burger and specifically asked for no onions and no pickles?The waiter brings out lunch, but the pickle and onions are still there.You’re hungry, so you try to make it work, ripping off the pickle and onions. The burger is good. The meat is flavorful. The cheese is perfect, but the juice of the pickle, the tang of the onion are still there. Every few bites, you hit a pickle. The taste of onion coats the tongue. You spend the whole meal navigating around something that wasn’t made with you in mind.That’s what many spaces can feel like.There are wonderful book events all over the country, and I love attending them. I love meeting all readers. I love introducing people to stories about powerful women and expansive histories.But at Black Romance Book Fest, I don’t have to navigate around the pickles.I don’t have to explain myself.I don’t have to wonder if I belong.I can simply exist.I can let my hair down. I code-switch for fun, not survival.I am fully seen.And that kind of belonging matters.One thing I love about the Laurens of the world. They don’t understand the word “impossible.”Tell them something has never been done, and they immediately start figuring out how to do it.They challenge systems.They move fast.They focus. They win.Can you focus? Are you so accustomed to disappointment that you can’t imagine success?Are you frozen by a past failure? Are you haunted by a dream that didn’t work out the first time?Have you convinced yourself that your best efforts will never be enough?Are you quietly quitting on yourself?Maybe you’ve wanted to write a book for years and just couldn’t pull it together.I meet people all the time who tell me they want to write a book. Then I see them years later, and they still want to write a book.Wanting is not writing.One hundred words a day—about ten sentences—creates more than 30,000 words in a year. That’s a novella.The problem isn’t always talent.Sometimes the problem is fear, fear wrapped up in perfectionism.What’s the rock sitting in the middle of your path? What’s the thing you’ve been walking around, staring at, complaining about, but never moved?Are you waiting for the perfect moment?Sometimes the problem is us.In my life, I’ve let fear silence me.I’ve kept my head down when I should have spoken up. I’ve worried about criticism instead of focusing on purpose.But there comes a point when you have to rise.There comes a point when you have to look fear in the eye and move anyway.And if you fail? At least you failed swinging.So here are three questions to ask yourself when you’re trying to figure out what’s holding you back.First: What do I truly want?· Not what other people want for me.· Not what looks practical.· What do I actually want?Second: What am I afraid of?· Failure?· Success?· Criticism?· Disappointment?Name it, but don’t claim it.Third: What’s one thing I can do today? Just one thing.Not next year.Not someday.Today.Dreams aren’t built in giant leaps but by daily steps taken. So start, start today.Along the way, encourage somebody else.Support people who are trying.Celebrate effort.Point out what’s working instead of what’s broken.The world has enough critics.What it needs are builders and encouragers.What it needs are people willing to help move boulders—not just out of their own path, but out of their neighbor’s path too.Because when readers gather, when artists create, when dreamers build, when communities support one another, those rocks begin to shake. They rattle and fall.So, I’ll ask you one more time.What’s holding you back?Take the time today to name it, then work, work until the rock moves.This week’s reading list includes:Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes — About overcoming fear, embracing opportunities, and saying yes to the life you actually want.Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones — A great guide to speaking up, taking risks, and refusing to be silenced by fear.On the fiction front:The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett — A story of identity, ambition, and the choices we make when pursuing the lives we want, regardless of the cost.The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce — A princess challenges a queen’s expectations and follows her heart, risking everything for love and self-determination.If you’re ready to raise a sword and gain a new destiny, consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release.Or if you are in need of laughs and inclusivity and to see the real good guys win, preorder or review at NetGalley, and request at your local library, A Deal at Dawn. Step into a cliffhanger, where the Duke of Torrance is dying to finally be a father to his daughter, but he must deal with the girl’s mother, the woman who humbled him and broke his heart.Get these books from The Book Cellar. They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com, under the podcast link in the About tab.Hey. Let’s keep rising and creating together. I need you. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to Write of Passage.Thank you for being here.I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Sorry for Slavery. Checks for Criminals.

4w ago00:15:02Tap to summarize

While criminals get rich, a holy man said sorry. - The pope apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in slavery. Five hundred and seventy-four years after popes authorized the enslavement of Africans, the Vatican finally admits its complicity.So I’m asking. What does an apology mean when violent offenders and felons get reparations? I’m thinking this might be the first receipt in a long-overdue accounting.Today, Pope Leo XIV used his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas — “Magnificent Humanity” — to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in legitimizing slavery.I don’t know if y’all understand how big of a deal that is.According to the Associated Press, this is the first time a pope has publicly acknowledged and apologized for the role that past popes themselves played in giving European sovereigns authority to subjugate and enslave non-Christians.That is huge.But at the same time?It is still just words.So today, I’m going to give you a little history — and some math.In every book I write that involves the Caribbean, one of the most disconcerting things I find is that the Catholic Church was complicit in the moral sin of enslavement.I am a woman of faith (or, as Ellen, my daughter, says, Non-denominational with Baptist leanings).My faith grounds me. It’s my identity. It has sustained me in some of my darkest hours.But when I do research and see enslaved people working in horrible conditions for priests, ministers, missionaries, and all the Catholic orders, I have to sit with that contradiction.Can you imagine spreading the good news of a Savior while returning to camp to beat and punish someone because the law said you were allowed to own them? Can you imagine preaching salvation while denying someone else’s humanity?Today I ask: what matters more — the apology, or the 574-year delay?In 1452, Pope Nicholas V issued Dum Diversas, authorizing the Portuguese crown to conquer, subjugate, and enslave non-Christians in Africa. The AP reports that this gave permission to “reduce their persons to perpetual slavery.”That was 574 years ago.Five hundred and seventy-four years is a long time to wait for someone to say, “We were wrong.” So yes, give some credit to Pope Leo.He’s American. He is from Chicago. His family tree includes both enslaved people and enslavers. Maybe all of that matters. Maybe that’s why he could step up and say wrong is wrong, even if his own hands were never on the master’s whip.That means something.But it does not mean everything.Because apologies without repair are just public relations.So let’s talk numbers.In 1838, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus — the Jesuits — sold 272 enslaved people to two Louisiana planters for $115,000.That gives us a benchmark:$115,000 divided by 272 people equals $422.79 per enslaved person in 1838 dollars.Historian Andrew Dial estimates that they held more than 20,000 people in bondage by the mid-eighteenth century.So let’s calculate from there.If 20,000 enslaved people were valued at the Georgetown benchmark:20,000 × $422.79 = $8.46 million in 1838 dollars. $296–338 millionBut Jesuits are just one order of the Catholic Church, if you add the Franciscans, Dominicans, Capuchins, missions, universities, and the plantation systems throughout Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, Louisiana, and the French Caribbean, you can increase that number to 100,000 - 400,000 enslaved people.The value rises from $296 Million to as high as $5 billion in today’s dollars.That is the math.Now let’s widen the lens.The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database estimates about 12.5 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic slave trade.Using the same Georgetown benchmark:12.5 million × $422.79 = $5.285 billion in 1838 dollars.In today’s dollars, that is roughly: $185 billion to $211 billion.And that is still only the body-price.· Not labor.· Not land.· Not sugar.· Not cotton.· Not tobacco.· Not banks.· Not insurance.· Not universities.· Not inherited wealth.· Not compound interest.· Just the sale value of humans.Well, Vanessa, I’m not Catholic. I figured you’d remember that. Let’s bring this home to the United States.Historians generally estimate that about 388,000 Africans were directly imported into what became the United States. By 1860, the enslaved population had grown to nearly 4 million people through forced reproduction and hereditary slavery.Using the Georgetown benchmark:4,000,000 × $422.79 = $1.691 billion in 1838 dollars.Converted today: $59 billion to $68 billion.Now, if you divided that across roughly 49 million Black Americans today, that would be about: $1,200 to $1,388 per person.And somebody will say, “See, that’s not that much. Get over it.”They would be right about the number, because it is too small. It only values enslaved people as property. It does not include what was stolen from them and their descendants.It does not include:* 250 years of unpaid labor,* lost wages,* stolen inheritance,* land theft,* banking and insurance profits,* cotton, tobacco, and sugar profits,* Jim Crow,* poll taxes,* redlining,* burned Black business districts,* medical experimentation,* biased healthcare,* or the generational trauma that shows up in Black bodies today.* Excuse me while I take my blood pressure medicine.* Le Sigh.All of this moves the numbers from billions to trillions. Wage-based models alone calculate unpaid labor plus interest at $19.1 trillion.So now we’re talking about $466K per descendant of US Chattel slavery.Congress is not about to cut anybody but a blood relative of the president or a convicted J6 criminal a check for $466,000. It would be nice, but I’d not bet on fairness or wholeness.And speaking of blood pressure, the National Institutes of Health shows Black Americans are still affected by structural racism and intergenerational trauma, which leads to Hypertension. Heart disease and higher rates of maternal and infant mortality.That sounds like payable damages to me. Any trial lawyers listening?All of this is to say that if the federal government can create a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who claim they were harmed by government power, then maybe we should ask: what do we call slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, poll taxes, eminent domain seizures, and violence directed at Black families— but being harmed by government power?The Justice Department will issue formal apologies and monetary relief to people who suffered improper government action from their criminal activities, but not to people harmed by the government’s racial biased policies .Remember slavery was encoded in laws, directed by government actions in Black Codes, Jim Crow, and redlining.Remember poll taxes were legalAnd today, eminent domain is still being used to strip Black families of land.If America has suddenly discovered that formal apologies and monetary relief are appropriate to repair harm done by the government, I have a list.It’s not as long as 574 years, but it begins with an apology.I thank Pope Leo. This is a start. It’s not the end. Truth cracks open the door.Because good people ask forgiveness for their sins.And we need to figure out how to stop bad ones from getting paid for theirs.And if you’re feeling generous, you can always subscribe. Very generous, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Extremely beneficial, patron level -- Checks can be made payable to Vanessa Riley, in care of Gallium Optronics, LLC.This week’s reading list includes:The 272 - Rachel L. SwarnsA modern account of the Jesuit sale of 272 enslaved people that helped stabilize Georgetown University financially.The Half Has Never Been Told- Edward E. BaptistIllustrates the economic arguments showing slavery as foundational to American capitalism.The Color of Law - Richard RothsteinShows how redlining and segregation were legally engineered by government policy.If you’re mad enough to raise a sword and consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release.Or if you are in need of laughs and inclusivity and to see the guys win, preorder or review at NetGalley, or request at your local library, A Deal at Dawn. Step into a cliffhanger, where the Duke of Torrance is dying to finally be a father to his daughter, but he must deal with the girl’s mother, the woman who humbled him and broke his heart.Get these books from Resist Booksellers . They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.</st...

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They Photoshopped Her Black

May 1900:12:44Tap to summarize

I almost got canceled over a book cover I didn’t create and fought against. But strangely enough, that disaster became part of a much bigger conversation about who gets represented in historical romance.My first book was traditionally published. Books two through sixteen—independently published.And the reason for going Indie after landing an agent was simple: at the time, there was this deeply toxic idea in publishing that stories centered on Black women in history—especially in the Regency and Georgian eras—didn’t have an audience.Publishers didn’t understand the history and how diverse it is. And worse, they underestimated readers. They didn’t think you were interested.So my agent and I parted ways, and I decided to prove there was a market for these books.And y’all showed up.Especially those of you who’ve been here since the beginning. You built this career with me. You bought the books, reviewed the books, recommended the books, argued for these heroines and these histories before the industry ever wanted to them to exist.Eventually, traditional publishers circled back. They wanted proposals, manuscripts, meetings. And I ultimately signed with Entangled Publishing in 2017.The Bittersweet Bride was my return to traditional publishing after years away.Now, if you think authors have control over their covers, let me lovingly disillusion you.Unless you’re a massive bestseller or have enough marketplace leverage to force approvals, you often don’t have much say at all. And at that point—In traditional publishing’s eyes, I was basically starting over. I had independent success, but not traditional “credibility.”So the cover came in.And you guys…it was digital blackface.The art department had apparently searched the internet trying to find a Black woman in Regency clothing and decided the solution was to take a White model and darken her skin in Photoshop.That was the cover for my seventeenth book.I told them, people could tell and that she looked ashy. Everyone knows Black women use lotion. That is my humor in a difficult situation. But despite my objections, that was the direction they chose.Then the internet detectives got involved. Folks on what is now X found the original image of the model and placed it beside the published cover. The outrage exploded.People were furious—and rightfully so. But a lot of folks also assumed I had approved it. Some came directly for me. And because my name was on that book, I stood there and took it.But I didn’t make that cover. I protested it. I lost the fight. And in traditional publishing, sometimes that happens—you lose the fight.Now to the publisher’s credit, once they realized how serious the backlash was, things changed. Suddenly I was included in cover discussions. Eventually they started working with the graphic artists who had designed many of my indie covers.The one benefit was the larger conversation became:Why is there such a lack of diverse historical stock photography?Why were publishers struggling to find Black models in period dress? Why weren’t there archives, databases, and photo shoots representing different skin tones, body types, cultures, and histories?People pushed hard for change.And like many things in publishing and media… some progress happened, a lot did not.A few companies stepped up. A few photographers expanded their collections. But a lot of the industry stayed status quo because the demand for diverse historical imagery was still considered “niche.”Fast forward to today.I’m scrolling through Instagram and I get a comment from the actual model whose photos were used for the cover of A Deal at Dawn.And y’all—I screamed for joy.This is book number thirty. Thirty.And this time, there’s a real Black woman on the cover portraying Katherine Wilcox, the eldest Wilcox sister, Lady Hampton. She’s elegant, beautiful, luminous—everything Katherine should be.And for me, it felt like a full-circle moment.My reentry into traditional publishing came with a cover disaster and now, years later, I have a cover miracle. My publisher Kensington Publishing Corp. found authentic imagery featuring a real Black model for my historical romance cover.That matters.Recently, I went on Threads and asked other authors how they’re navigating this issue now. Some shared resources for diverse stock photography. Some said they’re still struggling. Others have moved toward illustrated covers—what some folks dismissively call “cartoon covers.”But honestly? I love illustrated covers.Illustration allows artists to create a vision that includes everyone. You aren’t limited by the stock that exists. When I’ve had illustrated covers—let’s just say the difference in sales and wide appeal is apparent. It’s hard to accept that people look at pretty cover with a Black Regency Heroine and say it’s not for them.But things are better. Cover artists may still have to build composites from multiple photos—one face, another body, different fabrics, accessories, backgrounds to create magic. Photoshop isn’t the problem. It’s another answer to the stock shortage.Disparities still exist—and in this climate gaps may not be filled—so I’m grateful for every small movement forward.So this week, I’m highlighting dedicated inclusive stock platforms include: • Nappy — a free platform focused on beautiful imagery of Black and Brown people. • POC Stock — a diversity-focused media platform centering BIPOC creators and imagery. • TONL — curated culturally diverse photography built around authentic everyday representation. • CreateHER Stock — lifestyle and business imagery featuring Black and Brown women. • The Gender Spectrum Collection — a free collection created with VICE focused on trans and nonbinary representation. • Disabled And Here — disability-led photography featuring disabled BIPOC individuals. • Iwaria — authentic stock photography centered on continental Africa.You can peruse mainstream sites they have more inclusion than they did in 2017. • Stocksy • Getty Images Project #ShowUs • Unsplash • Pexels • Alamy • Getty Images • ShutterstockPeriod Images has some people of color in Regency costumes.And my new heroes, Morgan Miles PhotographyAre things perfect? No.But things are better. Times have changed slightly.Why?Readers expect us here.We belong here.Respect and authenticity matters.And somewhere between a disastrous digitally altered cover and a real Black model proudly messaging me about portraying one of my heroines… something shifted.In times like these, I think we have to hold onto moments of progress, even as we continue to work.If slow progress makes you mad, raise a sword and consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release.Or if you are in need of laughs and inclusivity, preorder or review at NetGalley, or request at ...

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AI, Why You Playing With Me?

May 1200:13:11Tap to summarize

History teaches us many things. One of them is this: if there is a way for a scammer to scam, they will do it. My inbox fills daily with AI-generated emails faker than a three-dollar bill. Why are we so desperate for engagement we fall for or create AI spam?AI, Why You Playing With Me?Spam, Scams, and the Death of Real ConversationHi, my name is Vanessa Riley. I write historical fiction, historical mystery, and historical romance. I spend my days researching forgotten histories, wrestling with plot twists, and trying to give humanity back to people history often ignored. I love my work. Truly.But apparently, according to my inbox, I also spend my days fielding an avalanche of AI-generated nonsense.Listen, marketers of the world, if you are going to use AI to write emails, could you at least read through what it spits out before you hit send?Every morning I open my inbox like Laura Croft entering a cursed temple. Traps are everywhere. Fake refunds. Fake podcast pitches. Fake collaboration requests. SEO “experts” promising to optimize books they clearly know nothing about. And every one of them begins with some robotic compliment so painfully generic I can practically hear the ChatGPT loading wheel spinning in the background.“I admire the emotional depth of your work…”“The authenticity of your storytelling…”“We noticed a visibility gap…”No, you didn’t. AI noticed a keyword.And here’s the thing: if you can use AI to generate an email, couldn’t you also use it to figure out whether a book is traditionally published?Couldn’t you ask the bot:“What it mean if a book is published by HarperCollins?”Or:“Hey chat, does the author control Amazon optimization for traditionally published books?”Let me save everyone some time: I do not control Goodreads optimization. I do not control Amazon metadata. I do not secretly run SEO campaigns out of my kitchen while baking biscuits and revising chapters.If you want to spam someone about algorithms and discoverability, send those emails to HarperCollins, William Morrow, Bethany House, Kensington, Penguin Random House, Entangled, Macmillan—send it to them. They’re getting a cut of this AI-fueled stolen books economy. I’m sure they have more resources to wade through ill-conceived emails.And the emails themselves? Oh, they are spectacularly bad.One message asked if I accepted guest editorial contributions on my website because they create “high-quality, informative articles written with readers in mind.”Nothing in the robotic cadence , gives me any confidence that you could write a grocery list.My website gets real traffic from real readers. I’m not handing access over so some AI-generated backlink farm can attach itself to my work.Marketers and hooligans work harder. Work smarter.Then there are the straight up scams.The fake refund notices are annoying. Like who doesn’t know they are due for a refund?“Your Refund Has Been Scheduled.”Scheduled for what? Emotional damage? Bankruptcy?They’re hoping somebody panics enough to call the number, click the link, or chase money they never expected in the first place. And honestly, in this economy, maybe they think authors are desperate enough to fall for it.And let me be honest: authors are working very hard in difficult times. The rumors you are hearing are true. Every advance for level playing fields have been stripped like section 2 of the voting rights act.Like women right now in the workforce, Women authors are hard hit. Especially women writing history people want erased. Especially women writing love stories about people some want to dismiss. Especially writers creating stories centered around people with melanin that didn’t come from a spray tan.The algorithms that are sending us spam are the same ones helping to propagate misinformation, misogyny, and mistrust.That’s reality.Hey, everyone is entitled to their tastes, opinions, and preferences. Fine. Love what you love.But what I’m asking is to please stop using AI to force your way into spaces you clearly know nothing about and are just trying to pilfer my time, money, or sanity.Here’s a hint for my fellow authors and author advocates ( alive or AI):Don’t ask to appear on podcasts you’ve never listened to.Don’t pitch movies that have nothing to do with my audience.Don’t ask for access to my readers when a simple Google search would tell you our values are not aligned.These AI pitches are bad. It’s obvious that they’ve never read a page of my work or listened to a single episode of my podcast.As what I jokingly call a “D-level celebrity,” I receive endless requests to promote products, feature guests, collaborate on content, and invite strangers into my personal creative space. They want access to you. They want our time together. It’s precious what we have. I honor and treasure it.For the record: my podcast is not an interview show.It’s Vanessa’s weekly rant about life, publishing, creativity, history, hustle, exhaustion, ambition, joy, and the utter foolishness connecting all of them together.But strangely enough, all this AI noise made me realize, I actually do want to expand our conversations.Real conversation.Human conversation.Not generated engagement. Not automated flattery. Not keyword-stuffed attempts written by software trained on prompts and desperation.I want dialogue.So I’m creating something called Passage Voices.If one of my essays moves you, challenges you, irritates you, inspires you—respond. Send a one-minute recorded essay or reflection that I may feature in an upcoming episode. I want readers to talk back. I want thoughtful engagement, even disagreement. I want community.This is the Nation of Vanessa. I reserve the right to show a little favoritism to subscribers, the people who genuinely support my work.That’s one of the perks of building your own creative community.So here is my final plea to the internet:Please stop using AI to write painful emails.Please stop asking for access to communities you haven’t taken time to understand.And for the love of all things holy and righteous, stop sending refund notices— just send cash.Come to an event! Buy a book. Hey you could even become a paid subscriber, if you have all the refund money lying around.But if you are genuine—if you actually care about stories, conversation, and community—then come join the conversation honestly.Human to human.No chatbot middleman required.This week’s book list features books to help us process:You Look Like a Thing and I Love You by Janelle ShaneFunny, accessible, and perfect for readers trying to understand why AI-generated communication often sounds so wrong.Erasure — by Percival EverettA brilliant takedown of publishing stereotypes, market expectations, and performative authenticity.Kindred — by Octavia ButlerBecause human memory, history, and inherited trauma cannot be automated into neat little prompts.And if you just want to raise a sword and cut to the truth, consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release.Or if you are in need of laughs and inclusivity, preorder or review at NetGalley, a Deal at Dawn. Step into a cliffhanger, where the Duke of Torrance is dying to finally be a father to his daughter but he must deal her with mother, the woman who humbled him and broke his heart.Get these books from Eagle Eye Books. They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, <a target="_blank...

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America Is Being Judged—and We are Not Ready.

May 500:13:55Tap to summarize

Take a moment and sit with this:A country can be both powerful and fragile at the same time.We can be proud—and still be in the wrong.And right now, we’re standing in the middle of a reckoning.The question isn’t why anymore… It’s what we do next.There’s a hard truth we don’t want to acknowledge. We are here because of apathy, arrogance, and anger.And three things can be true at once.First, the reckoning—the judgment on America—can be deserved. Our standing in the world, the fall from once being revered to a joke, is deserved. Our actions have impacted for the worse, the world economy.Second, there are a lot of people getting caught in the gears of that reckoning.And third, plain and simple, ain’t nobody got time for this kind of suffering.So the real questions of why we are here are over. It’s time to focus on how we set things right.I’m not here to say “I told you so.” That’s easy, and it doesn’t solve anything. But I do want to ground us in a quick lesson.People died fighting for civil rights. Not centuries ago—less than seventy years. There are people caught in pictures screaming at little children, threatening violence because a child wants an education. Less than seventy years, they can still be alive. Their children who grew up with hate are still here, still carrying the hate. But now they are screamers, politicians, footstools in the patriarchy. Heck, they might be leading it.The Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. So let’s round up, seventy years is supposed to make up for 400 years of slavery?According to the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) at least 4,400 lynchings of Black Americans occurred between 1877 and 1950.The Southern Poverty Law Center and other National Archives, Civil Rights Movement records, estimate 60+ people were killed in direct civil rights–related violence between 1960 and 1965.We know the famous names:Medgar Evers (1963)Herbert Lee (1961)James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner (1964)Jimmie Lee Jackson (1965)Viola Liuzzo (1965)Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia WesleyThey were between 11 and 14 years old, killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.When I research and one of those photos comes up, you know the ones with hordes of adults screaming and wishing harm on babies like Ruby Bridges.I see eyes glazed over with hate, mouths open, screaming curse words, and words at children integrating schools. But I’m supposed to believe that these hateful people’s children and grandchildren miraculously have no more prejudice…you know, the prejudice that forced us to legislate decency and morality.That these people in my neighborhood, near my child and other brown and Black children, have evolved.The past isn’t gone. It’s merely buried. When no one is watching, hate has a way of rising back up.Far too many of us got comfortable. We lived in neighborhoods that looked integrated on the surface. We worshipped in spaces where anyone could walk in. We shopped, ate, worked, and convinced ourselves that access meant equity—that if you were qualified, you could get the job; if you worked hard, you’d be fine.That comfort made us forget the stakes.We can’t be forgetful when others are already standing in unemployment lines. Some are choosing between medicine and groceries. Others were already relying on food banks just to make it through the week.And now, more people are feeling that edge. Seventeen thousand people just lost their job as jet fuel prices spike. We had an economy that, for a moment, felt like it was rebounding—strong, even enviable. But instability, policy choices, and global tensions have brought us to a place where the cost of living is climbing fast. Safety nets are thinning. Healthcare is slipping out of reach for far too many.There’s a widening gap between those who are managing and those who are barely holding on.Yes—if you have a roof over your head, a working car, food in your fridge—you’re not doing so badly.But that’s not the whole picture. It can’t be. Some folks are:One paycheck away. One emergency away. One layoff away from disaster.If you’re listening to this essay—on a podcast app, on Substack, anywhere—you have a degree of privilege.Use that guilt. Bear our responsibility in this mess.We were, at one point, moving—slowly, imperfectly—toward a more perfect union.Then fear crept in.Fear that equality meant loss. Fear that if everyone has a seat at the table, some people wouldn’t feel special anymore. And that fear dressed itself up in many forms—sexism, misogyny, exclusion, resentment, and yes, good old-fashioned racism.You can’t put that genie back in the bottle. There’s no Superman coming to spin the world backward so we undo everything and make better choices.This is the burden—and the beauty—of a fragile democracy.We get to choose. Even when we choose poorly.So now we’re here, in this moment, asking ourselves:What else are we willing to lose?How much more will be stripped away before we pay attention?I am afraid. More afraid than angry. This is a new place for me. And I suppose for you too.Since three things can be true at once, then we can do three things at once:We can acknowledge the reckoning.We can care for the people caught in it.And we can decide, collectively, that we don’t have time to sit around and take things like voting for granted… that is, while we still can.This week’s book list features books to help us process:How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi — Explains how neutrality and “not racist” thinking fuel systemic harm.Walking with the Wind by John Lewis — A firsthand account of the Civil Rights Movement that reminds us how recent—and costly—those gains were.Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson — Argues that America operates under an unspoken caste system, explaining why inequality persists despite progress.And if you just want to raise a sword and cut to the truth, consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release.Or if you are in need of laughs and inclusivity, preorder or review at NetGalley, a Deal at Dawn. Step into a cliffhanger, where the Duke of Torrance is dying to finally be a father to his daughter but he must deal her with mother, the woman who humbled him and broke his heart.All these books from The A Small Place Bookshop. They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com, under the podcast link in the About tab.Hey. Let’s keep rising and creating together. That’s the truth, I need you. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to Write of Passage.Thank you for being here.I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Your Lying Eyes, Their Lying Lips

Apr 2800:12:11Tap to summarize

What happens when you can’t trust your own eyes?In a world of deepfakes and media spin—from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex to Megan Thee Stallion to the White House Correspondents Dinner—the real question isn’t what’s true… it’s why we don’t care anymore.We are living in a moment when the old question—what is truth? —is being asked again.—has become the question of the moment. Aren’t you tired of relative half-truths?In an era defined by dishonest politicians, fragmented media ecosystems, and an internet that resembles a lawless western, the ability to trust what we see and hear is gone. The phrase “who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?”—popularized in Duck Soup—has shifted from comedy into cultural diagnosis. It was satire, people. Now it feels like instruction.At the center of this crisis is the mistrust of visual evidence itself. A recent controversy involving Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, illustrates the problem. A report from The Daily Beast, a source I relied upon in the 2010s, included a video clip on April 23, 2026, that critics argue appeared slowed down or altered to make the Duchess seem robotic—supporting a narrative that she, a woman of color, a Black woman, is difficult to work with. Observers suggested the footage has been misleadingly edited or even AI-manipulated.This incident is not isolated; it exists within a broader pattern of fabricated or distorted media. The point is not merely whether a clip was altered, but how easily perception can be engineered. Biased people want angry or disillusioned eyeballs.More manipulation is on the way, fueled by the rapid rise of deepfake technology. According to data from the Global Cyber Alliance and others, the number of deepfake files online is projected to have grown from 500,000 in 2023 to 8 million by the end of 2025—that’s an annual increase of 900%.The average American now encounters approximately 2.6 deepfakes per day, with younger adults seeing even more. And our human ability to detect these falsehoods is surprisingly low: studies show our ability to detect deepfakes is below 25%, which is worse than flipping a coin.The consequences extend beyond embarrassment or celebrity gossip. Deepfake-driven fraud caused an estimated $547 million in losses in just the first half of 2025, and AI-enabled fraud could reach $40 billion in the United States by 2027. Our midterm elections are in trouble. Seventy-eight deepfake election manipulations were discovered in 2024 alone. This is a growing threat to democratic processes.Yet, if this past weekend is any indication, we have a worse threat: apathy. Over the weekend of April 25–26, 2026, two major events unfolded: a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the highly publicized breakup between Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson. The former, involving a reported shooting and evacuation of the president, should have dominated national concern. Instead, the latter—a celebrity breakup fueled by allegations of infidelity—captured social media attention, with search interest spiking over 800%. Lord knows I have seen as many think-pieces on male-female relationships as I’ve seen screeds saying the correspondents’ dinner was fake.It is a shame that political events are now filtered through suspicion, conspiracy, and fatigue. When reports emerged of a potential assassination attempt, many didn’t ask what happened but whether the attack was staged. Questions about security lapses—how an armed individual could approach so closely—become entangled with blatant distrust in institutions and others using the event to get a ballroom built. Cynicism ran rampant.Cynicism and para-social relationships make celebrity narratives feel more immediate, and perhaps more “real.” But these narratives take hold by performance and perception.In Lyin’ Eyes by the Eagles, we were told to: “You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes.” In 2000, the denial anthem “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy fed the growing, complicit beast.“Never admit to a word when she sayAnd if she claim, ah, you tell her, “Baby, no way”…But she caught me on the counter (It wasn’t me)Saw me kissin’ on the sofa (It wasn’t me)I even had her in the shower (It wasn’t me)She even caught me on camera (It wasn’t me)...”The deeper issue is not simply that misinformation exists, but that our collective response is to believe the lies or not care about what’s right or wrong, and to spread the wrong.We no longer fully trust our eyes.But we also lack the will to interrogate what we see. Facts have become negotiable, subject to “both-sides” framing that equates evidence with opinion and treats the right as equally wrong. This erosion of journalistic standards undermines personal judgment and public discourse.Honesty, we must begin at the top.Political leaders who lie and distort reality set the tone for our society.When “truth” becomes a strategic tool rather than a shared foundation, citizens are left to believe everyone is lying. And soon we don’t care to believe differently.We are fragmented.We are divided.So we are that much easier to manipulate.In a world where images and narratives can be fabricated, what will spur us to try to discern the truth? It won’t be technology alone that saves us. Somehow, we have to get back to being better angels and our brothers and sisters’ keepers.That requires a renewed commitment to finding the truth. Until we do, we’ll settle for the least offensive lies we can stomach.We must do better. We must relearn how to care about the things that are supposed to matter.This week’s book list includes:Deepfakes by Nina Schick. A clear, urgent look at how AI-generated media is reshaping truth, power, and global politics.Trust No One: Inside the World of Deepfakes by Michael Grothaus. An inside exploration of how deepfakes work and why they pose a serious threat to identity and reality.True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News by Cindy L. Otis. A practical guide to identifying misinformation and thinking critically about what you see online.And if you just want to raise a sword and cut to the truth, consider purchasing Fire Sword and Sea, my latest release, and all these books from The FoxTale Book Shoppe. They still have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea.You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com, under the podcast link in the About tab.Hey. Let’s keep rising and creating together. That’s the truth, I need you. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to Write of Passage.Thank you for being here. Thank you to everyone who came out to Conyers or Detroit!I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Abused, Black, and Beautiful

Apr 2100:17:47Tap to summarize

As a nerd, I love patterns. I’m trained to find patterns. But today there is one I don’t want to see. There’s a pattern—and it is costing Black women their lives. Not just in the streets, but in their homes… in their relationships… even in childbirth.This is a pattern we can no longer pretend we don’t see.There is a pattern emerging—no, not emerging, persisting—and it is costing Black women their lives.We cannot keep calling these stories “isolated incidents.” We cannot keep lowering our voices when the truth demands a roar. What we are witnessing is a crisis: intimate partner violence against Black women, compounded by a maternal health system that too often fails them at their most vulnerable. Love should not be lethal. Pregnancy should not be a death sentence. And yet, for far too many Black women, both are becoming dangerous terrain.In April 2026 alone, we’ve lost:• Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax, a 49-year-old dentist and mother, killed on April 16 by her estranged husband in an apparent murder-suicide.• Nancy Metayer Bowen, Vice Mayor of Coral Springs, found dead on April 1; her husband was charged with premeditated murder.• Pastor Tammy McCollum, 58, killed on April 6 in her North Carolina home by her husband.• Ashly “Ashlee Jenae” Robinson, 31, a content creator who died under suspicious circumstances on April 9 while traveling with her fiancé after documented domestic conflict.• Qualeshia “Saditty” Barnes, 36, a pregnant Detroit rapper, shot and killed in Atlanta on April 8, reportedly by her boyfriend.• Davonta Curtis, 31, a Black trans woman beaten to death on April 8 by her boyfriend.• Barbara Deer, 51, an educator killed on April 15 in a murder-suicide.• Ashanti Allen, 23, eight months pregnant, murdered before she could bring life into the world.Say their names. Hold them in your mouth. Refuse to let their stories be reduced to footnotes beneath the names of the men who killed them.Because that is what often happens—we learn more about the killers than the women whose lives were stolen.This is not a coincidence. This is not rare. This is systemic, cultural, and deeply rooted.According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, more than 40% of Black women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, compared to 31.5% of women overall. The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that 53.8% of Black women experience psychological abuse, and 41.2% experience physical abuse. These are not small numbers. These are not anomalies. These are patterns.Let me repeat: 32% of all women experience domestic violence. 40% of all Black women experience this violence. This should not be.Violence against women begins early.Teen dating violence already lays the groundwork. Data from Basile et al. (2020) shows that about 8% of high school students experience physical dating violence, with girls disproportionately affected—9% of girls versus 7% of boys. Sexual violence is even more skewed: 13% of girls compared to 4% of boys. These are children learning, too soon, that love can hurt.Then comes adulthood. Then comes partnership. Then, for many, comes pregnancy.And pregnancy—what should be a sacred, supported, protected time—becomes one of the most dangerous periods in a Black woman’s life.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2023, Black women experienced 50.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 14.5 for White women. That is more than three times higher. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) confirms this disparity persists across income and education levels. This is not about individual choices. This is about systemic failure.Even more devastating: over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.Preventable.Let that word sit with you.Black women are dying not because we don’t know how to save them—but because we are not saving them.Structural racism, provider bias, unequal access to care, and the chronic stress of navigating a world that devalues Black womanhood all contribute. Black women are more likely to be ignored when they report symptoms, more likely to have their pain dismissed, and more likely to receive delayed or inadequate care.When you layer that on top of intimate partner violence, the risk multiplies.What is this pattern telling Black women?Work. Survive. Endure. But do not expect to be protected. Do not expect to be safe in love. Do not expect to be heard in pain.Is that the message?Because if it is, then we must reject it—loudly, collectively, and without apology.I am one of the lucky ones.I have a loving husband. I was supported. When complications arose during my pregnancy—when my daughter Ellen’s heart rate dropped in half with every push—my doctors and nurses listened. They acted. They ordered an emergency C-section. They saved her life. They saved mine.My daughter is alive and thriving today because I was heard.But I should not be the exception.My story should not sound miraculous. It should sound standard.Advocacy should not be a privilege. Quality care should not be a lottery. Survival should not depend on luck.And safety—safety in our homes, in our relationships, in our bodies—should never be negotiable.On that X platform—yes, I haven’t found a way to quit yet—I saw a post by Bishop Talbert Swan. He quoted Malcolm X, who said, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman.”Then he had a call to arms:That truth still echoes today.We cannot protest violence in the streets and excuse it in our homes.We cannot call out injustice from systems and ignore harm within our communities.We cannot demand accountability from others and remain silent among ourselves.He said Black men must hold other Black men accountable. I agree. I can check on my husband, brothers, and nephews and make sure they are in good headspaces, and, as much as I can, make sure they are in healthy relationships. I need everyone else to do the same.We need to be our brothers’ keepers. But we also need to be our sisters’ refuge. When she is in trouble, we need to be safe spaces. We need to help advocate in those moments when she is weak and vulnerable.Our love and care should not be in whispers—not one way in public and absent behind closed doors. If you need help, get it. Call 800-799-7233 or text BEGIN. These are 24/7 resources for help.I spoke with multi-published romance author Jacquelin Thomas who recently completed her Master’s-level coursework in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for advice for my audience, she said, “In moments of domestic violence crisis, the priority is safety—not resolution. A safety plan should be simple, practical, and personalized. It should include identifying a safe place to go in an emergency, having a list of trusted people to contact, and keeping important items ready (such as ID, medications, keys, a prepaid cell phone, and cash).” She also said to plead with my audience, to prioritize immediate safety.Click here for a A Safety Plan.Save your life, the life of your children or spouse—leave.Please don’t care about image. This is about lives.The violence, the lack of care—it is a symptom of patriarchy. It’s control and entitlement.Don’t let anything keep you from getting help. Protecting women is not optional. Protecting Black women, children, and babies is not negotiable.If we fail to confront this—honestly, boldly, and without deflection—then we are guilty. We should not be the ones writing tweets saying we wished we had done more.To all those touched by domestic violence or the lack of maternal care, I offer you prayers and wishes for peace.We have less than two weeks left in April. Let’s not have more names to say. But let’s keep the ones who have fallen victim in our thoughts., in our prayers, on our lips, and please:Hold abusers accountable—no matter who they are.Send grace and love to your Black sisters.Our survival should not be luck.Being Black should not require survival against the odds. Being a woman should not increase the risk I endure because I chose love. Survival should simply require the right to breathe.This week’s book list includes:Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty by Dorothy Roberts Essential reading on how systems have historically controlled and endangered Black women’s bodies.Rising Strong— Brené Brown Helps unpack silence and transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead.Prophetic Fire: Poetic Litanies of Justice and Liberation by Bishop Talbert Swan is a blend of poetry and activism.The Housemaid by Freida McFadden is a psychological thriller involving manipulation, control, and hidden abuse in a domestic setting. As the Guardian says, these kinds of thrillers are popular for exposing how violence can hide behind “perfect homes.”Any book by Jacquelin Thomas but try Samson. Samson is about a man who’s lost his way finding his way back. I am so proud of madame coun...

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All episodes

Three Lessons About Joy and Messes

The Writer’s Greatest Gift

Everybody Loves Justice Until It Costs Something

Move That Dang Rock

Sorry for Slavery. Checks for Criminals.

They Photoshopped Her Black

AI, Why You Playing With Me?

America Is Being Judged—and We are Not Ready.

Your Lying Eyes, Their Lying Lips

Abused, Black, and Beautiful