Black Chick Lit

Latest Episodes:

Episode 23: Meet Addy Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

We were feeling nostalgic, so this month, we decided to go back and check out our favorite kid lit titles. And if you were a little girl who loved books in the 90s, you loved the American Girl series.

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We read the first three books of the Addy series — from her enslavement on a North Carolina plantation to her eventual escape to freedom in Philadelphia. And boy, did our girl struggle. All the time. Like, this child never got a break.

This children’s series touched on all matter of topics including the breaking up of enslaved families, prejudice and colorism. But … did it need to?

We realized we’ve been here for two years and never really introduced ourselves properly to y’all. So we want to know what you want to know. About us, about books, about podcasting. Whatever. Tweet us your questions and follow us on Twitter at @blackchicklit to take part in the next #BCLChat.

Thanks for listening and be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes. Thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n.

BCL Chat: Kid Lit and EyeSeeMe Interview Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

August is our birthday month! It’s been two years of nonsense, and we’re thankful you’ve stuck it out with us.

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This year, we decided to celebrate by embracing our inner child. We talked to Pamela and Jeffrey Blair, the owners and founders of EyeSeeMe, St. Louis’ first all African-American children’s bookstore.

If you’re a parent looking to get your child reading, a teacher hoping to provide more diverse literature options to your students or an independent author looking to get your book into kids’ hands, you need to check out this interview.

Thanks again to the Blairs for taking time to speak with us! Be sure to support the EyeSeeMe by making a purchase or donating to their foundation.

Do you have a suggestion for a future #BCLChat? Email us at contact@blackchicklit.com. And don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Black Chick Lit on iTunes.

Continuing our dive into kid lit, next episode we’ll discuss every black girl’s favorite American girl, Addy. Join us when we discuss Meet Addy, by Connie Porter.

Episode 21: Bingo Love Aug 04, 2018

Show notes

This is our chattiest episode yet. Before we dig into our book talk, we find out the ending of #cockygate, fangirl over Beverly Jenkins tweets and do a quick survey of popular books we have — and haven’t — read. Don’t worry, we find time to discuss Bingo Love, by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge and Joy San.

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Pop in around the 40-minute mark to hear us analyze Elle and Hazel’s romance, as well as try and figure out what Jake’s big secret is. (Also, what’s going on with his wonky colored eyes???) It was a cute book that we wish we could have had more of.

In other news, we’re getting close to our second birthday! We’re planning to celebrate with a nostalgic throwback read, so tweet us your favorite over at @blackchicklit.

Thanks for listening and be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes. And finally, thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n.

BCL Chat: What Books Are you Looking Forward in 2018? Jul 11, 2018

Show notes

We told you we'd be asking this question again. It's our favorite and you all always deliver some awesome recommendations.

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Before we dig into them, though, we spend some time discussing the trailer for the upcoming The Hate U Give movie, Laura Ingalls Wilder's messiness and a bunch of surveys. We also share some follow-up information from Leesa Cross-Smith, the author of our previous pick, Whiskey & Ribbons. Thanks to @shortiegirl44, @lilpocketbooks, @Everywoman98, @MonlatReader, @LocPressedBooks and @OnlySharaeRae for their recommendations.

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas
On the Come Up, by Angie Thomas
Becoming, by Michelle Obama
Housegirl, by Michael Donkor
Woman Trapped in the Dark, J.D. Mason
Temper, by Nicky Drayden
The Black God's Drums, by P. Djélí Clark
John Woman, by Walter Mosley
My Sister the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite
A Princess in Theory, by Alyssa Cole
A Duke by Default, by Alyssa Cole
An Unconditional Freedom, by Alyssa Cole
Heads of the Colored People, by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
Welcome to Night Vale, by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
It Devours!, by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
The Duchess Deal, by Tessa Dare
Forged by Desire, by Brenda Jackson
Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders
Song of Blood and Stone, by L. Penelope

Thanks for listening in and join us when we read Bingo Love, written by Tee Franklin, illustrated by Jenn St-Onge, Joy San and Cardinal Rae.

Episode 21: Whiskey & Ribbons Jun 26, 2018

Show notes

We're back from our unplanned summer break and ready to discuss Leesa Cross-Smith's Whiskey & Ribbons. Like ogres and onions, this book's got LAYERS and we dig into 'em.

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Why is everyone keeping secrets from Loretta? Why is Evangeline so annoying in Eamon's POV? And what the hell is Frances' whole deal?

Along with discussion of the book, we talk #cockygate and copyright law, Michelle Obama's upcoming memoir (or is it autobiography?) and the stress Stephen King's reflections on mortality keeps causing us.

This whole episode was inspired by our listeners' excitement for its release. So, now we want to know: What books are you looking forward to in the second half of 2018? As always, follow us on Twitter at @blackchicklit to take part in the next #BCLChat.

Thanks for listening and be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes. Thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n.

Episode 20: "This Will Be My Undoing" Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

We discuss some big topics this episode: colorism, what it means to be a black woman and the possible criminal actions of Steve Urkel.

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Listen in as we talk about This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America by Morgan Jerkins, share our current reads and lament the lack of black sit-coms.

As always, follow us on Twitter at @blackchicklit to take part in the next #BCLChat. With all the great black representation happening lately, we want to know what book you'd love to see adapted for TV, film or any other medium.

Thanks for listening and be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes. Thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n.

And special thanks to Claretta Street by Colette Barris for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about this title at MochaGirlsRead.com.

BCL Chat: What Are Your Reading Resolutions? Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

Time for another BCL Chat. We asked you all to share your reading resolutions, and an overwhelming number of you shared that this year you aim to read more books written by women and by people of color.

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A lot of ya'll are also big on personal development. You're doing better than us. We've pretty much given up on that.

Thanks to everyone who shared! Got a question you’d like to see discussed? Email us at contact@blackchicklit.com. And don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Black Chick Lit on iTunes.

Episode 19: “The Coldest Winter Ever” Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

In the last episode, you may have heard us officially declare January Black Chick Lit’s Urban Fic Month. Last year, we read This Could Be Us, But You Playin’. And it was terrible. Just godawful. So, this year we decided to try a tried-and-true classic. Published in 1999, Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever is heralded as the grandmother of the urban fic movement.

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Episode 18: We’re Finally Done with 2017 Dec 29, 2017

Show notes

2017 was a long, hard year for the both of us, so we avoided it by reading a bunch of books. Join us for a double-length episode where we discuss all the titles we read — not just the ones for the podcast. We share favorites, rant about the ones that had us going “WTF!?,” and finish up with our podcast goals for 2018.

Heads up: There are major spoilers for Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret at 29:50 and Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You at 33:47. You’re clear of spoilers at 36:14.

Thanks to everyone who shared their favorite books with us for this episode! Do you have a suggestion for a future #BCLChat? Email us at contact@blackchicklit.com. And don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Black Chick Lit on iTunes.

Episodes mentioned in this episode:

Episode 17: “A Hope Divided” Dec 08, 2017

Show notes

After a touch of the flu and one nervous breakdown, we finally got around to discussing Alyssa Cole’s new release, A Hope Divided. This is the second book in Cole’s Loyal League series; check out the previous episode where we chat about the first book, An Extraordinary Union.

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