Celebrate the release of The Black Madonna with Christena Cleveland!

EVENT DEETS

When: Monday, September 21 @ 6:30 PM CST

Where: Virtual via Zoom. (We'll send you the Zoom link!)

How: 

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your spot.
• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your spot and purchase a copy of The Black Madonna, supporting both the author and our store programming. The book will be available for pickup or shipped on the day of the event.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your book. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event. If you do not retrieve your event book , it will be returned to the publisher and you are not eligible for a refund. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Meet Black Madonna—Mother of Abundance, Holy Insurrectionist, Our Lady of F Around and Find Out

This bold reclamation of the divine feminine offers a new vision of Black Madonna as a unifying figure of refuge, resistance, and renewal. When we are exhausted and burned out, Black Madonna invites us to surrender to her protective embrace and be revitalized by her subversive life force. When disillusionment takes hold, Black Madonna offers radical belonging—urging us to reclaim our own sacred power.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christena Cleveland, Ph.D. is a social psychologist, public theologian, author, and activist. A weaver of Black liberation and the Divine Feminine, Dr. Cleveland embraces the archetype of the Black Madonna as she guides people of all races and genders into freedom, wholeness, and embodied justice. She is the founder of the Black Madonna Freedom School, which nurtures courageous and compassionate people who are uprooting white patriarchal religious conditioning in themselves and their communities, while skillfully planting intersectional divine feminine wisdom. Her latest book is The Black Madonna: Icon of Resistance & Nourisher of Souls where she explores the miraculous, liberating, and zany ways that the Black Madonna has protected, empowered, and nourished people around the globe and throughout history. An award-winning researcher and former professor at Duke University’s Divinity School, Christena lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can discover more about the Black Madonna and Christena at www.christenacleveland.com.

Celebrate the release of The Drakon King with Terry J. Benton-Walker!

EVENT DEETS

When: Wednesday, November 18 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How:

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat
• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserv your seat, grab your copy of The Drakon King, and support the author and our store programming.

Please Note: Books purchased from other retailers are not permitted in the bookstore and are not eligible for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must either purchase a copy from Kindred Stories. If you already purchased your book from Kindred Stories, you may select the RSVP Only ticket option and bring your Kindred Stories copy to the event.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your book. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event. If your book is not retrieved it will be returned to the publisher and will not be available for pick up in the future.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry J. Benton-Walker is the best-selling and award-winning author of fantasy and horror, most notably the Blood Debts and Alex Wise series and The White Guy Dies First horror anthology. The Drakon King is Terry’s first romantic fantasy for the adult market.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

N.E. Davenport is the author of Our Vicious Oaths, the Blood Gift duology, and the YA novels Out of Body and Love Spells Trouble (as Nia Davenport). When she isn’t writing, she enjoys vacationing with her family, skiing, and being a huge foodie.

Celebrate the release of Coloring with Coco: Passport to Paradise with Andrea Ballo!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, August 13 @ 7 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (231o Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How:

• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your seat and purchase a copy of the book, supporting both the author and our store programming. The book will be available for pickup at the event.

Please Note: Books purchased from other retailers are not permitted in the bookstore and are not eligible for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must either purchase a copy from Kindred Stories or select the RSVP: I Already Have the Book ticket option, which allows you to bring a copy purchased elsewhere. If you already purchased your book from Kindred Stories, you may select the RSVP Only ticket option and bring your Kindred Stories copy to the event.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your copy. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Event Tickets are Non-Refundable.

Celebrate the release of The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman with Deesha Philyaw!

EVENT DEETS

When: Monday, November 16 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, HTX 77004)

How:

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat.
• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your seat and purchase a copy of the book, supporting both the author and our store programming. The book will be available for pickup at the event.
• RSVP (I Already Have the Book) to reserve your seat and let us know you plan to bring one you previously purchased from another bookseller.

Please note that books purchased from other retailers are not permitted inside the bookstore and will not qualify for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must purchase a copy of the book from Kindred Stories or select the RSVP (But I ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK) ticket option.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your copy. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The wife of a popular and powerful megachurch pastor upends her charmed “rags-to-Rolex” life when her secret past comes roaring into the spotlight—in this "funny and juicy and sexy and delicious peek behind the pulpit" (Samantha Irby) from the acclaimed and beloved author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

From the moment Scharisse Freeman ditched her humble roots and married a megachurch pastor fifteen years her senior, she’s been labeled too brash and too “of the world” by church folks who grudgingly accepted her into their fold, and too holy by her estranged childhood bestie Petra. Schar doesn’t have many allies, but that hasn’t stopped her from building an enviable business empire spanning books to clothing to branded products, and living the comfortable life her husband's power affords her.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, Schar gets the final bit of validation she’s always dreamt of: a coveted invitation to participate in the First Lady USA pageant. This is her chance to be accepted by the other pastors’ wives—First Ladies—who are “like Jesus’ disciples if they had been a group of mean girls.” Finally, blissfully, the ice between Schar and the other First Ladies begins to thaw.

But as the pageant nears, a sensational scandal breaks with Schar at its center, and her carefully curated life implodes. Schar faces down shame and terrible secrets from her childhood and is reminded that in the eyes of the church, optics can matter more than the truth.

Unflinchingly funny, frank, and splendidly unruly, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman exults in the luscious, messy pleasure of finally feeling free.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deesha Philyaw’s debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the Story Prize, the LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction. Deesha is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow, a Baldwin for the Arts Fellow, a United States Artists Fellow, and co-host of two podcasts, Ursa Short Fiction (with Dawnie Walton) and Reckon True Stories (with Kiese Laymon). She is currently at work developing TV shows based on her short fiction.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard.

Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.

Event Purchases Are Non-Refundable

Celebrate the release of The Unhaunting with Micaiah Johnson!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, October 1 @ 7 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book, support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A house, itself, is nothing. It’s not a shelter until it is sheltering someone. A house is a housefire, waiting for its match. A house is a ghost story, waiting for its death.

At the end of the Civil War, a daughter of the Confederacy made what she thought was an innocent wish: to build a house where nothing bad could happen. But peace came at a price, and one hundred and seventy years later Shantell and her friends are about to discover where all that darkness ended up.

When Shantell’s best friend, Avery, tells her he has inherited a house big enough to make their dreams of a sanctuary come true, she’s too cautious to be optimistic. A lifetime of loss — her father to the Iraq war, her brother to police violence, and her mother to suicide — has taught her cynicism, and even though Avery swears the house has never experienced a tragedy, she goes along expecting everything from black mold to evil spirits.

But not only is the house in better shape than they’d expected, it makes them better too: Shantell’s anxiety stops flaring up; terminally shallow Avery is suddenly capable of deeper emotions; and Tobias, Avery’s older brother and the contractor for the job, even quits chain smoking.

There’s an eeriness to the calm, and it’s almost a relief when they realize they do not walk alone in Abernathy House. If nothing bad has ever happened here, where are all these ghosts coming from? As they dig into the house’s history, Shantell, Avery, and Tobias discover that there’s only one thing worse than a house that’s haunted: a house that desperately wants to be.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Micaiah Johnson is a Carl Brandon and Compton Crook Award-winning author. Her debut novel, The Space Between Worlds, was a Sunday Times Bestseller, a Locus Award finalist, an Editors’ Choice at The New York Times and was named one of best books of 2020 and one of the best science fiction books of the last decade by NPR. Her follow-up novel, Those Beyond the Wall, a timely look at violence during apartheid, was released in March 2024 and has been named as a Best Books of 2024 by NPR, Reactor, Esquire and Lithub. She received her BA in creative writing from the University of California, Riverside, and her MFA in fiction from Rutgers University-Camden, and her PhD from Vanderbilt University.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Celebrate the release of Moments of Joy with Camille Joy!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, August 28 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat, RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of Moments of Joy, support the author and our store programming, or RSVP( BUT I HAVE THE BOOK) to bring in your own copy of Moments of Joy.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories or purchase the RSVP (BUT I HAVE THE BOOK) ticket. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A life-affirming resource for parents raising children with special needs, this inspiring devotional brings together real hope, uplifting truths, and practical applications to help you reconnect with God's constant love and presence.

Raising a child with special needs is a journey filled with unique challenges and profound joys. Through 90 days of heartening devotions, advocate and founder Camille Joy draws from her personal experience of raising a son with autism, IDD, and complex medical issues to help you see God’s presence and plan in your own journey. With inspiring scripture, each devotion offers a very brief and encouraging reflection, as well as a bold affirmation to take with you into your day.

Moments of Joy is a celebration of your tenacious love for your child and a powerful reminder of God’s indomitable love for you both. These pages offer a safe place to acknowledge the hard, and a restful oasis for your weary heart. Whether you're celebrating small victories or facing overwhelming obstacles, you’ll find hope, practical reminders, and solidarity with each reading. Embrace the joy that sustains and discover peace in knowing you are never alone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Camille Joy is a devoted wife and mother, with a heart as vast as her roles: entrepreneur, podcaster, advocate, and a beacon of hope. She radiates joy and utilizes her diverse platforms to uplift families navigating the unique challenges of raising children with special needs.

In 2018, Camille Joy embarked on an inspiring journey when she launched her podcast, "Moments of Joy." Today, it stands tall as a premier platform, uniting parents raising children with disabilities and providing them with a supportive community. In her weekly podcast episodes, Camille draws from her personal experiences and shares compelling narratives from parents and professionals across the globe.

Her mission is crystal clear: to deliver genuine support and absolute transparency to parents in the caregiving journey. This cause holds a special place in her heart, as her youngest son, Maison, was born with congenital heart disease and later diagnosed with Autism. Camille Joy's life is a testament to the power of empathy, resilience, and unwavering determination to make a difference in the lives of families like hers.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Kirby Jackson  was born and raised in Houston, Texas. By day, they work at Kindred Stories, receiving books and helping readers discover their next great fantasy read. Outside of work, Kirby enjoys reading and exploring Houston's parks and trails with their son.

Celebrate the release of The Book of Chuck with LaToya Watkins!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, August 20 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book, support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of The Book of Chuck will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LaToya Watkins is an award-winning author of two books. Her short story collection, Holler, Child, was longlisted for the National Book Award and the winner of Reading the West Book Award in Fiction and the Writer’s League of Texas Book Award in Fiction. Her debut novel, Perish, was published to great acclaim in 2022. LaToya’s writing has appeared in A Public Space, The Sun, McSweeney’s, and the Kenyon Review, among other publications.

Celebrate the release of Root Therapy with Felicia Leatherwood!

EVENT DEETS

When: Wednesday, August 19 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: 

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat.
• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your seat and purchase a copy of the book, supporting both the author and our store programming. The book will be available for pickup at the event.

Please note that books purchased from other retailers are not permitted inside the bookstore and will not qualify for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must purchase a copy of the book from Kindred Stories.If you already purchased your book from Kindred Stories, you may select the RSVP Only ticket option and bring your Kindred Stories copy to the event.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your copy. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Embrace and learn to love your natural hair with this eye-opening guide from “hair whisperer” to the stars, Felicia Leatherwood.

As a child there was nothing Felicia Leatherwood wanted more than long, flowy hair. But Felicia’s short afro grew up and out, not down. Her father who styled Felicia’s hair in her mother’s place, often didn’t know his own strength, and would rip Felicia’s delicate strands as he combed through her hair. At a young age, Felicia internalizes her hair as something to be managed, tamed, instead of a source of pride.

As hair trends come and go, Felicia’s beloved Jherri curl is replaced by every braided style in the book. She even tries her hand at weaves and relaxers. Felicia finds she loves doing hair so much she leaves her high-paying corporate job to enroll in beauty school and lands a hot new job at a salon where celebrities breeze through to freshen up their look. It isn’t long until Felicia is styling her first celebrity client. Felicia’s love of hair takes her around the world, to movie sets and several red carpets.

In Root Therapy, Felicia shares her journey of hair positivity, which opens the door to a beautiful spiritual journey of self-love. As a celebrity stylist and natural hair educator, Felicia has made it her life’s mission to share the message of hair acceptance. Complete with exercises that show you the merits of owning one’s complete self, Felicia encourages you to embrace your natural hair.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felicia Leatherwood is the world’s leading celebrity stylist and inspirational beauty speaker regarding natural hair with over twenty-six years of experience. She conducts hair care workshops for audiences around the globe under the brand and slogan “Loving Your Hair with Natural Care.” Leatherwood’s styles have been featured on such high-profile acts as Oscar Award nominee Ava Duvernay (Selma director), Issa Rae of HBO’s Insecure, megastar Will Smith, Grammy winner/R&B superstar Jill Scott, Iron Man/Empire star Terrence Howard, Mad Men star Teyonah Parris, Black-ish star Anthony Anderson, and countless others. Leatherwood’s message is rooted in the idea of holistic health and fundamentally loving yourself—a true inside out approach to hair care.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Bianca is an educator, cultural storyteller, and passionate advocate for Black history. A native Houstonian, she grew up in the city’s historic Pleasantville neighborhood and attends church in the historic 5th Ward. Communities that helped shape her deep appreciation for culture, heritage, and service. A proud graduate of Howard University, she has built a dynamic career in public education.

Deeply committed to service and sisterhood, Bianca is an active member of the Houston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and volunteers with the Black Heritage Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo amongst many other organizations. Her work in the community reflects her dedication to cultural enrichment, education, and the preservation of Black heritage.
Driven by her love of food, culture, and history, Bianca frequently shares stories of Black food traditions and the African American experience both in the U.S. and across the diaspora. A devoted reader and supporter/fan of Kindred Stories, she is drawn to narratives that illuminate the richness of Black life.

Celebrate the release of Madly Driven with Tiye!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, August 6 @ 7 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book, support the author and our store programming.

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

An addictive, enemies-to-lovers romance about fame, power, and two people fighting to stay in control, even as they fall madly, recklessly in love.

Kensie Garrett turned her worst heartbreak into a bestselling brand. As a social-media influencer and author of a hit self-help book teaching women how to find love without losing themselves, she’s built a career on staying in command. But one reckless night threatens everything she’s created when she gives in to the magnetic pull of Canaan Jackson, the infuriating race car driver she’s despised since college.

When a private video from that night leaks, Kensie’s credibility and Canaan’s shot at racing glory are suddenly on the line. To save them both, he does the unthinkable: announces their engagement during a live press conference. What begins as damage control quickly spirals into a dangerous chemistry neither can contain.

Thrown together under the scorching Miami sun in the months leading up to his first Formula One race, Kensie and Canaan must outmaneuver paparazzi, past betrayals, and a passion that refuses to stay off camera. But as lies blur into truth and old wounds resurface, Kensie has to decide whether protecting her image is worth losing her heart to the one man who may know her better than she knows herself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tiye is a USA Today Bestselling author known for her emotional and captivating novels. She has enchanted readers with stories that offer an escape into richly imagined worlds. Professionally, Tiye works in the mental health field, providing services through her private practice and teaching. A Southern girl currently residing in Houston finds inspiration from her travels and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Charity Shane’ is a USA Today Best-selling author. She holds a Bachelor degree and a Juris Doctor degree. She’s an Author, Higher Education Leader, Legal Expert., and Creative. 

Writing stories that create feelings through her words is her true passion. 
To date, she has published many books, traditional and indie, including a USA Today Best Seller and a number of Amazon best sellers. She has been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Woman’s World Magazine for her traditionally published book, A Novel Christmas. 

Her soul sings Black romance and Black Women’s fiction. 

Celebrate the release of We Exist in the Whisper with Lupe Mendez!

EVENT DEETS

When: Wednesday, August 5 @ 7 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How:

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat.
• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your seat and purchase a copy of the book, supporting both the author and our store programming.
• RSVP (I ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK) if you plan to bring a copy you previously purchased from another bookseller.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories or purchase the RSVP ( I ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK) ticket. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

"One day all these classrooms / will no longer hold any of us. / Leave no evidence we were here. / We exist in the whisper…." Lupe Mendez's innovative new collection captures a unique time in Houston, Texas, "a sliver of a moment for Mexican-American and Mexican communities in the early 1970s," that explores Houston ISD's racist plan to integrate schools by sending Mexican-American children-labeled as white-to predominantly African-American schools, thereby satisfying federal desegregation laws.

Incensed that its children would have to travel to schools that were no better than the ones they could walk to, the Chicano community resisted by instituting a walkout, or huelga, and creating its own schools in churches, homes and neighborhood centers. Weaving poetry and history, the book contains "found" poems created from newspaper articles about the strike; oral history interviews with teachers, principals and students; notes from visits the author made to the sites where classes were held more than 50 years ago; docupoems created from official Huelga School papers; and historical documents such as photographs, charts, fliers and letters.

In his illuminating notes about the book, Mendez describes the methodology for creating this collection and includes a list of best practices for the "poethnographer." His research revealed the racism that existed in this era, perpetuated by the majority white population and between brown and black populations forced to compete for every resource. Ultimately, Mendez asserts the Huelga School strike had a critical impact on Houston, both in the development of Mexican-American leaders who got their start in these "freedom schools" and the nascent collaborations between diverse communities. This creative, thought-provoking volume is a must-read for anyone interested in education, history and Mexican Americans' fight for equality.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Galveston, TX, Lupe Mendez is a Writer, Editor, Educator, and Artivist…  
He is the author several books poetry and multi-genre works, including WHY I AM LIKE TEQUILA (Willow Books, 2019), winner of the 2019 John A. Robertson Award for Best First Book of Poetry, PRAYER HOLDING NIGHT: NEW & SELECTED WORKS (Texas Christian University Press, 2025) and WE EXIST IN THE WHISPER: HUELGA SCHOOL WORKS (Arte Publico Press, 2026). He is the founder of Tintero Projects which works with emerging Latinx writers and other writers of color within the Texas Gulf Coast Region, with Houston as its hub.

Lupe earned his Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Texas @ El Paso and currently serves as Poetry Editor for the Texas Observer  and Huizache: the Magazine of a New America and Associate Editor for the Acentos Review.  He has been awarded residencies and fellowships from CantoMundo, Macondo, the National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures, the Poetry Foundation + Crescendo Literary Poetry Incubator, the Betsy Hotel Writer’s Room and was one of twenty-five recipients of the inaugural Houston BIPOC Arts Network Fund (now HOUSTON IN COLOR) Artist Award for 2023. . Lupe is a 20+ year veteran in education having served classrooms across K through College in public, private and charter school settings.  Mendez is Texas Poet Laureate Emeritus (Texas Poet Laureate 2022 - 2023).

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Aris Kian (she/her) is a Houston enthusiast and student of abolition. Her poems are published with Button Poetry, West Branch, Obsidian Lit, and elsewhere. As an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellow, she received her MFA from the University of Houston. Her team Smoke Slam coached by Ebony Stewart ranked #1 at the 2025 Bigfoot Regional Poetry Slam and #1 at the 2024 Southern Fried Poetry Slam. She previously served as the 2023-2025 Houston Poet Laureate and was chosen as a 2025 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellow.

Celebrate the release of Cooking From Scratch with Toya Boudy! This specially curated event will feature a food and beverage tastings that perfectly complement the conversation and bring the book's flavors to life.

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, July 16 @ 7 PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, #2, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP Only ticket to reserve your seat and participate in the event, or select RSVP with Book to receive a copy of the book while supporting the author and our store programming. Both ticket options include a tasting portion of the gumbo featured in the book and a specially curated. 

*Please note that outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore, and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. All tickets are nonrefundable. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Toya Boudy is a New Orleans chef, artist, poet, television personality, and storyteller whose work lives at the intersection of food, culture, and community. Known for her warm, approachable teaching style and deep respect for culinary tradition, she uses food as a way to preserve memory, share wisdom, and bring people together.

Her cookbook journey began with Cook Like a New Orleanian, followed by Cooking for the Culture, both of which celebrate the flavors, techniques, and spirit of New Orleans while honoring the broader cultural influences that shape Southern cooking.

Her third cookbook, Cooking from Scratch, continues that mission with an even deeper focus on foundational kitchen skills, recipes, remedies, pantry building, and practical household knowledge. It is designed as a modern guide to self-sufficiency in the kitchen—teaching readers not just what to cook, but how to build confidence and create from the ground up. The work also pays homage to the legacy of early Black culinary pioneers such as Malinda Russell, whose contributions helped shape American cookbook history.

Her work continues to center food as culture, memory, and a way of building and sustaining community.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Michelle Wallace is a Houston-based chef, pitmaster, and tv-personality originally from St. Louis. Her passion for food began while studying Healthcare Administration at Texas Southern University.  Houston's rich culinary diversity shaped her approach to how she cooks today. She pursued formal culinary training at The Art Institute of Houston and expanded her global perspective while studying abroad in China.

Once settled in Houston, she trained under renowned chef Mark Holley at Pesce and cooked privately for various professional athletes. In 2017, she joined forces with legendary pitmaster and James Beard Nominated, Greg Gatlin, spending over six years honing her craft. Drawing from a childhood love of sandwiches, Wallace developed smoked creations that earned statewide acclaim.

In 2023, Wallace launched B’tween Sandwich Co., specializing in comfort food, smoked meats, and traditional fare for creative sandwich lovers. That same year she competed on Bravo’s Top Chef (Season 21), making it to the Top 6 and earning the coveted Fan Favorite title. She has also competed on Food Network’s BBQ Brawl (Season 3) and appeared on Food Network’s Bobby’s Triple Threat (Season 4), taking on Bobby Flay’s Titans in the secret kitchen arena. Additional notable appearances include Food Network's Flavortown (Season 1),  Netflix’s High on the Hog docuseries (Season 1) and BET’s The Recipe: Juneteenth Celebration. Wallace is also a resident expert contributor to online publications Tasting Table and Mashed and you can listen to her talk food on the Houston Matters Podcast: The Full Menu via Houston Public Media. 

Celebrate the release of In Hush To Harbor with La-Toya L. Scott!

This interactive community book talk includes a conversation and workshop designed to engage participants with the themes and writing in In Hush Harbor. Attendees will have opportunities to reflect on the book, share perspectives, and participate in an open discussion exploring the history and present-day realities of Black safe spaces. Together, neighbors, readers, and curious minds will examine how these spaces have fostered community, resilience, and belonging across generations.

EVENT DEETS

When: Wednesday, July 22 @ 6:30 CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St., HTX, 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book, support the author and our store programming.

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. All tickets are nonrefundable. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Celebrate the release of No Sense in Wishing with Lawrence Burney!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday July 10 @ 6 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of No Sense In Wishing, support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A personal and analytical essay collection from culture critic Lawrence Burney that is a personal and analytical look at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him.

There are moments in our lives when we discover an artist, an album, a film, or a cultural artifact that leaves a lasting impression. These moments inform how we understand the world, and ourselves, moving forward.

In a time when music is spurring Black Americans’ connection with Africans on the Continent, culture critic Lawrence Burney takes us on a journey from the streets of Baltimore to the concert halls of Lagos, reminisces on seeing his mother perform as the opening act of a Gil Scott-Heron show when he was a child, and sits at a Maryland crab feast with family, assessing how the Black people in his home state have historically improvised paths for their liberation. Burney explores these profound interactions with incisive and energizing prose, offering us a personal and critical perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him.

No Sense in Wishing is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Burney’s search for self. With its gutsy and uncompromising criticism alongside intimate personal storytelling, this “powerful collection of essays” (Rolling Stone) is like an album that hits all the right notes, from a promising writer on the rise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lawrence Burney is a writer, editor, critic, and the founder of True Laurels, an independent magazine covering Baltimore’s music and culture scene. His work has appeared in publications such as New York Magazine, GQ, Washington Post and Pitchfork. He has also worked as an editor at The Fader, a staff writer at VICE, and an editor/reporter at The Baltimore Banner. His first book, No Sense in Wishing, a collection of essays, was published in July 2025 via Atria Books. His second book, Sing Back To Me, will also be published by Atria Books. Follow him on Instagram and X @TrueLaurels.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard.

Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.

Celebrate the release of My Monsters Ain't Like Yours with R.J. Joseph! This event is a SIGNING ONLY. 

EVENT DEETS

When: Sunday, July 19 @ 3 PM - 5PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin Street  Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book and reserve your spot in the signing line while supporting the author and our store programming. The author will be on site from 3 PM–5 PM, and you may arrive at any point during that time slot to pick up your book and meet the author.

Please note: Outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must purchase a copy from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

At its core, the horror genre is an effective vehicle for exploring human behavior. From within its terrifying boundaries, and lack thereof, we can examine monstrosity. We can determine how monsters are labeled, analyze the actions of those deemed monstrous, and prophesy the impacts this labeling and actions have on the world around us.

Monsters are personal. Monsters are universal. These facts create an intriguing juxtaposition where the things deemed monstrous or frightening can be shaped by personal experiences, while also representing many aspects of the human condition; our fears are much more similar than dissimilar. This means my monsters are absolutely like yours: they are our collective nightmares.

My Monsters Ain't Like Yours reflects this irony through Black feminist intersectional horror at its rawest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. J. Joseph is an award winning, Shirley Jackson and Stoker Award™ nominated
Texas based writer/speaker/editor. Her creative and academic work examines the
intersections of race, gender, and class in the horror genre andpopular culture. Her
next short story collection, My Monsters Ain’t like Yours, will be released in summer
2026 by Quill & Crow Publishing. Her nonfiction book, Mothers, Lovers, and Others: An
Examination of Black Women in Horror Films, will be released in fall 2027 by Creature Publishing.

She occasionally peeks out on various social media platforms from behind 
@rjacksonjoseph or at www.rhondajacksonjoseph.com

Celebrate the release of Love Is a Contact Sport with Frederick Smith!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, July 9 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of Love Is A Contact Sport, support the author, and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the event book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

After a rough breakup, gay romance author Renny Ross heads to the Bay Area for a fresh start. His new gig writing the anniversary story for a local university is supposed to be a fresh chapter (thanks to university president Dr. Taylor James). But Renny didn't expect to run into a familiar face from his past.

After dropping off his youngest child at college, recently divorced Brent D. King DuPree is on a journey to freedom, liberation, and living the life he put on hold for over twenty years to raise his family. Figuring out life as a newly out and newly single man, Brent is hesitant about stepping into the Bay Area gay scene until a chance reunion with his first real crush, and the guy he never quite forgot, his peer mentor and tutor in college: Renny Ross.

Neither man expected a second chance. But working together at the same university stirs up feelings that never really faded. Their love doesn't have to be a secret anymore, but will they get it right this time?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frederick Smith writes Black, queer contemporary novels that discuss MM
romance, identity, and social justice with humor and heart. Originally from
Detroit, Frederick is the author of seven romance novels set in L.A. and San
Francisco that feature Black Queer characters. A higher education professional by
day, Frederick does Student Life and Diversity & Inclusion work at San Francisco
State University.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Celebrate the release of The Houston Negro Hospital with Carlton Houston!

EVENT DEETS

When: Monday, June 15 @ 6PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to get your copy of The Houston Negro Hospital and to support our store programming. If you already have a copy of the book that you bought from Kindred Stories, please use RSVP BUT I BOUGHT FROM KINDRED STORIES. If you bought your book from another retailer, you are required to register using RSVP BUT I BOUGHT THE BOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Please note that copies of The Houston Negro Hospital not purchased at Kindred Stories will not be allowed in the event unless you register using RSVP BUT I BOUGHT THE BOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE.

ABOUT THE BOOK

At the height of racial and political tensions in early twentieth-century Houston, two unlikely figures became allies. Dr. William M. Drake, a pioneering surgeon and Black community leader, and Joseph Cullinan, a white oil magnate and founder of the company that became Texaco, united in a desperate effort to save a hospital that symbolized hope. The Houston Negro Hospital was born from America’s Black hospital movement. Dedicated on Juneteenth 1926, it embodied a bold experiment to bring dignity and health care access to a community that was systematically denied both in the Jim Crow South.

Journalist and storyteller Carlton Houston—whose ancestors played a role in this remarkable heritage—reveals the untold, human drama behind the institution that would become Riverside General. Discover the vision, conflict, and resilience that shaped a century of health care through the struggle of those determined to save lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carlton Houston is an Emmy Award–winning journalist and storyteller whose work is distinguished by its clarity, restraint, and cinematic precision. A former television reporter and anchor, he is known for transforming complex histories into narratives that reveal both human vulnerability and structural truth. Shaped in part by a family legacy tied to Houston’s historic medical community, Houston's writing is marked by a commitment to illuminating stories that have long existed in the margins of American history. Houston Negro Hospital, the Untold Legacy of Riverside General is his debut work of long-form narrative nonfiction.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Dr. Michelle Watts is a native Houstonian and humanities educator who is committed to using humanist literature to bring diverse groups of people together to find common ground. Over the years, Dr. Watts has taught a full range of students – from Kindergarten to graduate school- and delights in her students’ achievements and efforts to effect substantive change in the world around them.

Mount Holyoke College which was fertile ground for her interests and activism and while there, she began her lifelong journey with the theory and practice of Black feminism. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, Michelle returned to Houston to study American Literature and Culture at Rice University, where she earned both a Master’s and Doctorate. She went on to teach at Miami University in Oxford, OH and the University of Cincinnati. While at Miami, she was recognized as an Honored Professor for her ‘remarkable commitment to students.’ She has extensive experience in the public sector where she has worked to advance educational equity and social justice causes in youth-serving organizations. She is currently at work on a research project on African American children’s and young adult literature, and is the New Member Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Houston Chapter.

Celebrate the release of Lift Every Voice with Phillip B. Williams!

EVENT DEETS

When: Tuesday, July 14 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin Street, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to get a copy of Lift Every Voice and our store programming. 

Please note that copies of Lift Every Voice that were not purchased at Kindred Stories will not be allowed in the event and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Captivating for both its grandeur and intimacy, Lift Every Voice explores the capacity for the past to be both a source of dread and empowerment, an unshakable reminder of violence and an indelible testament to the endurance of love. In virtuosic poems that are wise, musical, richly layered, and saturated with vivid imagery, Williams honors a mother “who knew seven ways to say bitch under her breath,” a grandma whose smile “reflects the world,” and wonders at “the impossible lift” of forgiveness. Lift Every Voice is a staggering tribute to personal and collective evolutions, a vital chorus that answers only to God, community, and the empowered self.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Phillip B. Williams is the author of the novel Ours and two collections of poetry: Thief in the Interior, which was the winner of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and a Lambda Literary Award; and Mutiny, which was a finalist for the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry and the winner of a 2022 American Book Award. Williams is also the recipient of a Whiting Award and fellowships from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and the National Endowment for the Arts. Raised in Chicago, he is currently a professor of creative writing at Rice University and founding faculty of the Randolph College Low-res MFA.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

AYOKUNLE FALOMO is Nigerian, American, and the author of Autobiomythography of (Alice James Books, 2024—winner of the 2025 Maine Literary Award for Excellence in Publishing and honor-winner for the Texas Institute of Letters' Burdine C. Johnson Award for Best Book of Poetry), AFRICANAMERICAN’T (FlowerSong Press, 2022—finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters' Helen C. Smith Memorial Award for Best Book of Poetry), two self-published collections and African, American (New Delta Review, 2019; selected by Selah Saterstrom as the winner of New Delta Review’s 8th annual chapbook contest). A recipient of fellowships from Vermont Studio Center, MacDowell, and the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program, where he obtained his MFA in Creative Writing—Poetry, his work has been anthologized and widely published. You can find out more information about him at afalomo.com.

Celebrate the release of Black Freedom: A Visual History of Juneteenth and Emancipation Days with Blair LM Kelley!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, June 18 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The first fully illustrated history of Juneteenth and other Emancipation Day celebrations, told through photographs, art, and an engrossing narrative from an award-winning historian.  
 
For more than 150 years, Black communities have gathered to honor freedom, resilience, and the ongoing struggle for true liberation. While Juneteenth has recently gained wider recognition, it was one of many Emancipation Day traditions celebrated across the United States. These observances were spaces of joy, remembrance, and resistance—even as the fight for full freedom was unfinished. This volume brings together stirring essays and striking images from Juneteenth and beyond, offering a sweeping portrait of how Black people have created and sustained rituals of remembrance, a testament to the generations who, through celebration and storytelling, demanded that their contributions to the making of America be fully recognized.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Blair LM Kelley is an award-winning author, historian, and scholar of the African American experience. She is also the president and director of the National Humanities Center, the only independent center for advanced study in the world dedicated exclusively to the humanities. Kelley is the author of Right to Ride: Streetcar Boycotts and African American Citizenship (2010) which was awarded the Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book Prize and Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class (2023), which received the 2024 Brooklyn Library Book Award, the 2024 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Book Award, the 2024 Philip Taft Labor History Prize, and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award in History. Her latest book, Black Freedom: A Visual History of Juneteenth and Emancipation Days, will be published June 2, 2026.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Melanye Price is the inaugural Director of The Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A&M University. Dr. Price is an Endowed Professor of Political Science and served as the Principal Investigator for the African American Studies Initiative and the HBCU Student Voting Rights Lab. She has secured grants for the Simmons Center and her own research from various foundations including Mellon, Ford, LUMINA, and others. Price is the author of two books: The Race Whisperer: Barack Obama and the Political Uses of Race (NYU, 2016) and Dreaming Blackness:  Black Nationalism and African American Public Opinion (NYU, 2009). She is currently working on her third book project on the five decade history of voting rights activism at Prairie View.  She also served as a Special Assistant to Ruth J. Simmons in her last year as President of Prairie View.

Dr. Price completed her B.A. magna cum laude in geography at Prairie View A&M University and her MA and PhD in political science at The Ohio State University. Dr. Price was recently named the 2024 Anschutz Distinguished Fellow in the Effron Center for the Study of America at Princeton University. Price has been a Black History Month lecturer for the US Embassy in Germany where she lectured at universities and community organizations across the country. Professor Price was one of the contributors to Stanley Nelson’s documentary, Obama: Through the Fire, which aired on BET. She has been a regular contributor for The New York Times Opinion section and also done political commentary for various local and national outlets.  Dr. Price has also served as a consultant and commenter for the audio tour of two major exhibits at the Museum Fine Arts Houston—Philip Guston Now and Kehinde Wiley’s Archaeology of Silence. 
In her free time, Melanye is an avid watcher of television, supporter of all things Black and Houston, and intrepid gardener! 

Celebrate the release of Never Tell A Black Girl How To Black Girl with Amena Brown!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, July 23 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming. 

Please note that books purchased from other retailers are not permitted inside the bookstore and will not qualify for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must purchase a copy of the book from Kindred Stories.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your copy. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A delightfully funny essay collection about growing up in the south, the pitfalls of date night, the things you wish you could say to your therapist, and why no one should ever tell a Black girl how to Black Girl.

Black women always find a place to meet: in the natural hair aisle, at Beyoncé concerts, even online in memes and catchphrases. This book is one of those places: a living room where readers can contemplate how a well-picked afro can defy the laws of physics and why boob sweat has to exist in the first place. Here, Black Girl is a verb. Here, Black women can Black Girl in every way we want to.

Brown’s book Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl blends storytelling, humor, and pop culture commentary to traverse the magic and wisdom she's gleaned from being raised by Southern Black women, and by being supported by the community of Black women who hold her down today. After graduating from International Black Girl Headquarters (the renowned HBCU Spelman College), Amena had built a career sharing stories and celebrating Black womanhood. In her book, she shares stories of dancing in Janelle Monae's Tightrope music video and partnering with Tracee Ellis Ross to compose odes to natural hair. She imparts essential life lessons from the Real Housewives of Atlanta, and from her grandmother before her upcoming swirl marriage (“Don’t kiss white boys too hard, because they bruise easily”). She also tells hair tales, sharing the collected wisdom from her committee of friends when it came to the ideal style for her first speaking gig at Essence Fest (box braids, 100%).

In the end, Brown shares that Black women are a whole world. A galaxy of customs, language, code, and unspoken understandings, all explored with humor and heart in this unforgettable book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amena Brown is a spoken-word poet and performing artist whose work interweaves keep-it-real storytelling with humor. She is the author of How to Fix a Broken Record and Breaking Old Rhythms. Her poetry was featured in the New York Times bestselling book Rhythm of Prayer. Brown was featured in Olay’s Face Anything campaign alongside Jennifer Hudson. She was also the poetic partner for PATTERN Beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross’s natural hair care and beauty brand. She lives in Atlanta.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Wale Okerayi is a licensed mental health therapist and a passionate literary enthusiast, uniquely blending her professional insights with her profound love for literature. Her work as a book influencer, particularly through her platform @theehottgirlbooks, focuses on celebrating and sharing BIPOC stories. Wale’s dual role enriches her contributions to both fields, making her a valuable voice in discussions around mental health and literature.

When she’s not reading or in the therapy room, you can find her building Lego sets and watching The Real Housewives. 

Spring is in the air, and love is on the page. Join D.W. Brooks, Alexandra Lechelle, and Zee Renee at Kindred Stories for a celebration of local romance authors.

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, May 23 @ 6PM

Where: Kindred Stories: (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK to support the authors and our store programming. There are four options available: you can choose to support an individual author or select the Romance In Spring Bundle, which includes one book from all participating authors.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

D. W. Brooks

D. W. Brooks  is an author who has independently published three romantic suspense books and two contemporary romance novels. In addition to writing books, D. W. is also a retired ophthalmologist and a kidney transplant recipient of over eight years. She is originally from Alabama but now lives in Texas with her husband and daughter.

Alexandrea LeChelle

Alexandrea LeChelle is a contemporary romance author whose stories explore love, grief, healing, and the complicated beauty of human connection.

Her novels unfold between Houston and Louisiana and center Black characters navigating family legacies, emotional vulnerability, and the quiet courage it takes to love deeply and unapologetically.

Through rich, emotional storytelling and cinematic detail, Alexandrea writes the kind of love stories she rarely saw growing up and entering adulthood. Stories where Black characters are allowed to be flawed, passionate, and deeply human.

What began as a way to process emotions and channel creativity through her own healing journey, slowly evolved into something much bigger: an urge to create and share stories about love, healing, and the complicated paths of life that bring people together.

Her stories often explore themes such as emotional healing, family dynamics, grief and growth, healthy Black love, the courage to begin again. Every story is planted in the belief that love, in all its forms, has the power to change us for the better.

When she’s not reading, Alexandrea can be found working her way through her own TBR, journaling or planning new creative projects, adding recipes to her personal cookbook, and listening to playlists that eventually inspire new stories.

At the heart of everything she creates is a simple hope: That readers will find pieces of themselves in her stories.

Zee Renee

Writing is where Zee thrives, finding peace and purpose. Her journey began at thirteen with a black-and-white composition book, later blossoming on Wattpad, where she captivated over two million readers. In December 2023, she released her debut novel, All In, and was nominated for the 2023 Black Girl Who Writes Best New Author award. By November 2024, Zee became a National Best-Selling Author with the release of When He’s Not There, her third book.

Crafting urban fiction and romance, Zee transforms raw emotions into powerful stories. Her characters are deeply personal, each carrying a piece of her spirit. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her God-given talent and hopes readers will feel the same passion in her words as she does in writing them.

UPDATE: We have added a waitlist for this event. Waitlist tickets are not guaranteed. If a ticket becomes available, you will receive an email with steps to get a ticket 

Celebrate the release of Rich and Rotten with Jahquel J!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, May 1 @ 6PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St., Houston, TX 77004).

What: This event is a signing only. You will have the opportunity to get a signed copy of Rich and Rotten and take a photo with the author. Each Signing Line Ticket comes with a copy of the book of Rich and Rotten.

How: Purchase a SIGNING LINE TICKET to guarantee a spot in the signing line. Each Signing Line Ticket comes with a copy of the book of Rich and Rotten. You can bring up to 5 previous books by Jahquel that you would like signed. Please note that each ticket is for entry of ONE person. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Explosive, sensual, and unapologetically raw, Rich and Rotten delivers Jahquel J.’s signature blend of passionate romance and high-stakes family drama—where love is the most dangerous game, and trust is the rarest luxury.

In Greenwich Pointe’s world of Black wealth and power, Tatiana Rich has everything money can buy—except freedom. When her kingpin father forces her into a strategic marriage with the Sterling dynasty’s heir, she begs Nazir Kane—the man she fell for during her college years—to run away with her.

By morning, he’s vanished without a word.

A decade later, Tatiana is rebuilding her life after her husband Karim’s tragic death. While raising their daughter and growing her luxury spa empire, an assassination attempt on her father brings an unexpected guardian: Nazir Kane—now a powerful security specialist assigned to protect her family.

Living under the same roof as the man who shattered her heart is torture enough. But as old flames reignite, darker truths emerge about the father who controlled her and the husband she mourned.

With enemies closing in and whispers that her husband’s death wasn’t an accident, Tatiana must decide if the man who once betrayed her is the only one who can save her now . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Celebrate the release of The Summer Girlfriend with Kristina Forest!

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, June 13 @ 6PM CST

Where: Holy Family HTX (3719 NAVIGATION BLVD, HTX, 77003)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of The Summer Girlfriend will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A stand-in girlfriend and a handsome business heir find that their fake summer fling is feeling way too real in this new romance by USA Today bestselling author Kristina Forest.

Noelle Lewis doesn’t have time for long walks on the beach, brunch with the girls, or summer vacations. She’s too busy saving up to go back to college. After recently getting laid off from her bookseller job, her main gig is now serving as a “stand-in” bridesmaid, which doesn’t pay enough for the upcoming semester’s tuition. But then the perfect, if not unconventional, opportunity arises…

Jeremiah Smith II, grandson of the founder of Smith’s Sweets—a well-known baked goods company—once lived a life of frivolity. Since his grandfather’s death, Jeremiah’s tried to clean up his act, but it’s hard to focus when his family requests that he join them at their summer house in Heart Beach, New Jersey, where his most painful memory lies. To avoid going there, Jeremiah claims he already has plans with his girlfriend, and of course, his family tells him to bring her. The problem? Jeremiah doesn’t have a girlfriend.

After a chance meeting, Noelle and Jeremiah come to an agreement. He’ll hire her to be his stand-in girlfriend for the weekend, and she’ll use that money toward her tuition. She figures it will be quick, easy money, but as it turns out, Jeremiah’s family is lovely, and Jeremiah is even lovelier. Soon, a weekend agreement turns into an entire summer, and Noelle and Jeremiah will have to keep their hearts in check, or else it’s sink or swim for them both.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristina Forest is the USA Today bestselling author of romance books for adults and teens. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at The New School and she lives in New Jersey, where she can often be found rearranging her bookshelf.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

LIARA TAMANI grew up in Houston,Texas, where every spring meant one thing: rodeo season. She loved getting decked out in her best cowgirl gear and soaking up the music, food, and electric energy of the rodeo, a joy she now shares with her daughter and husband. Her deep Texas roots shine through her storytelling, capturing the spirit and rhythms of the state in all her acclaimed novels: Calling My Name, All the Things We Never Knew, and What She Missed. Before becoming a writer, she attended Harvard Law School and worked as a marketing coordinator for the Houston Rockets and Comets, television production assistant, home accessories designer, floral designer, and yoga and dance teacher. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA from Duke University.

Celebrate the release of Good Morning Means I Love You with Kendra Allen!

EVENT DEETS

When: Tuesday, July 7 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A couple years after Noon and I fall in love, we fall in love with Micah—and a couple years after that, I have both of their babies. We choose, this land and this life. We share, ourselves and our sons. We name them, Morning and Night.”

In her arresting first novel, Kendra Allen investigates love, partnership, motherhood, pleasure and the pursuit of freedom in one young woman’s defiantly unconventional terms. Rae has just returned to her family after leaving for a stretch and suddenly – that family being her two male partners and the sons, named Morning and Night, that she has mothered with each of them. In the span of one year, they will experience unfathomable depths of devastation—and joys they could never predict.

Good Morning Means I Love You follows Rae as she makes choices around sex, mothering, and partnership that are as stunning to everyone else as they are natural to herself. With pain and pleasure, she watches as her children learn to walk and give language to the world as her lovers contend with their own ideas of masculinity, personhood, and fatherhood. Along the way, Rae begins to understand the hardest and most beautiful truth: that we have only so much time on earth to make love, to make family, and to make good on the promise of this one, short life.
This is a novel of the self in all its simultaneities and a living portrait of intimacy written in poetic, bold, and sensual prose that shines a light on what it means to redefine expectation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kendra Allen is the author of the memoir Fruit Punch, the poetry collection The Collection Plate, and the essay collection When You Learn the Alphabet, which won the 2018 Iowa Prize for Literary Nonfiction, awarded by Kiese Laymon. She writes to music column “Make Love in My Car” for Southwest Review. She was born and raised in Dallas. 

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Kamisha Escoto, PhD, is a Lecturer at Rice University who teaches graduate students how to communicate complex ideas clearly through writing. By day, she works in engineering communication; outside the classroom, she's an avid reader who views fiction as a way to explore the human side of how we think and relate to one another. She enjoys literary fiction and is especially drawn to stories about friendship, identity, and emotional ambiguity. A native Houstonian, she reads widely across genres with her son (and often aloud to her dog). 

Celebrate the release of Struck Speechless with Tati Richardson!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, June 5 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat, RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming, or RSVP (BUT I ALREADY HAVE A BOOK) if you already have a copy and would like to get it signed. 

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories or purchase the RSVP (BUT I HAVE THE BOOK) ticket. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sports agent Jackie Miles is a petite powerhouse who has built her empire on killer instincts, designer stilettos, and tough skin. Her client roster is legendary, her temper is hotter than Georgia asphalt, and aside from her French bulldog PeeWee and her "boss chick village," she's perfectly content flying solo.

Then Antonio Steele walks back into her life, and all hell breaks loose.

The towering former football star turned rival agent has always known exactly which buttons to push. Just when Jackie thinks she can handle their explosive chemistry and complicated past, she mysteriously loses her voice. But this isn't ordinary laryngitis; a cryptic stranger's message implies that Jackie must "quiet her tongue and listen with her heart" to lift whatever spell she's under.

With a career-defining client trip to Mexico looming, and only the devastatingly handsome Antonio as backup, Jackie must learn to let go-if only she could trust him to catch her.

Struck Speechless is book two in the Boss Chicks Village Series, following the hit romcom Losing Sight.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TATI RICHARDSON (she/her) is the author of Losing Sight, a romantic comedy which Kirkus called "playful" and "terrific" in a starred review; and The Build Up, named one of Amazon's Best Books of 2023 and a Booklist Top Romance of 2023. She is cofounder of the Romance in Colour podcast, and an Apple Books Writer to Watch.
Under the name T.M. Richardson, she writes extra-steamy works like the USA Today bestseller The Oath. A native of Atlanta, Tati lives with her husband and daughter.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Tiye is a USA Today Bestselling author known for her emotional and captivating novels. She has enchanted readers with stories that offer an escape into richly imagined worlds. Professionally, Tiye works in the mental health field, providing services through her private practice and teaching. A Southern girl currently residing in Houston finds inspiration from her travels and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Celebrate the release of Nasty Work with Ericka Hart!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, April 16 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When you think about sex ed, your mind likely goes back to those uncomfortable school desks and the stifled laughs of your teenage years. But what we’ve been socialized to believe about sexuality actually hinders our own pleasure well into adulthood. Whether we know it or not, even the most progressive among us are often using 400-year-old inherited thoughts and belief systems in the twenty-first century. Why are we still carrying forth these ancient values that have never served the vast majority? 

As a Black, queer, non-binary, disabled femme, Ericka Hart believes that sex ed done right can actually be a tool for liberation. In Nasty Work, she breaks down the ways that social implications keep us from experiencing pleasure, particularly for marginalized communities across race, gender, sexuality, and ability, and how we can dismantle these oppressive myths. From examining what guides our attraction to others to the history of consent, Ericka Hart takes the blinders off and reveals a more empowering view of sex and sexuality.

Nasty Work blends eye-opening research with powerful, poignant personal narrative that disrupts everything you thought you knew about sex and society; offering a liberatory framework that makes pleasure accessible for all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ericka Hart, M.Ed. (she/they) has been teaching comprehensive, trauma informed, consent- and pleasure-based sex ed at the elementary, high school, undergraduate and graduate levels for the past 15 years and is now the founder of her own sexuality education training program, Sex Ed as Resistance. She is the co-host of the critically acclaimed podcast, Hoodrat to Headwrap with her partner Ebony and is mom to East Francis Coltrane (and cockapoo Baguette).

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.

Celebrate the release of Pleasure Please with Ashley Cobb!

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, May 16 @ 6:30 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories(2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories, or purchase the I ALREADy HAVE BOOK option. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A fun, exciting, and informative guide to sexual health, wellness, and pleasure for women of color

In Pleasure, Please! The Black Woman's Guide to Unapologetic Pleasure and Confidence, certified sex educator Ashley Cobb delivers a comprehensive and empowering new exploration of sexual wellness for women of color (and especially Black women). Cobb draws on her extensive experience and expertise in women's health, sexuality, and activism to walk you through everything from individual empowerment to effective ways to confront and overcome the barriers and stigma that Black women face.

You'll discover expert advice interwoven with real stories from real women who have been in your shoes and dealt with the same issues you deal with every day. You'll also find answers to the questions women most frequently ask the author to answer, as well as crystal-clear, informative guidance you can apply in your own life and relationships to help you make your life better now.

Pleasure, Please! also includes:

* Tips and advice on self-love, body positivity, and improving your sense of sexual agency
* Techniques for pleasure and self-exploration to help you enhance your sexual pleasure and explore what you desire – and how to best satisfy those desires
* Specific guidance for navigating the unique sexual health and pleasure challenges that Black women often face

Perfect for all women of color who want to improve their sexual health and get more fulfilment, enjoyment, and pleasure from their bodies, Pleasure, Please! is also an essential read for the partners of those women who want to help and support their partners' sex education and body positivity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Cobb (she/her) is an award-winning sexual health expert and author of Pleasure Please! The Black Woman’s Guide to Unapologetic Pleasure and Confidence. Known for her inclusive and forward-thinking approach, Ashley empowers women of color and marginalized communities by offering expert guidance on sexual health, wellness, and pleasure.

With a passion for breaking stigmas and promoting sexual liberation, Ashley’s work spans from reproductive health and HIV prevention to pleasure and sexual empowerment. Her writing, featured in outlets like Essence, The New York Times, and Women's Health, provides practical advice and thought-provoking insights that encourage individuals to embrace their sexuality with confidence.

Ashley advocates for equitable access to sexual health resources, focusing on supporting those disproportionately affected by health disparities. Through her work, she continues to inspire others to lead fulfilling, liberated sexual lives, challenging social norms and promoting open conversations about pleasure and identity.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Nikquan Lewis is a licensed relationship and sex therapist, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and author who helps people move beyond survival and into a pleasure-centered life.

She is the founder of Intimate Connections PLLC, where she works with women and couples to understand how trauma and shame shape the way they love, communicate, and experience intimacy. Through her work, she teaches people how to reconnect with their bodies, identify their wants, needs, and desires, and reauthor their relationship with sex and connection.

Nikquan is the creator of the S.A.D. Framework and the author of When Trauma Is Your Author. Her expertise has been featured in Essence, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour, and she has appeared on national television, including TV One, as well as radio and news platforms, where she continues to advocate for culturally relevant healing and transformational conversations.

Celebrate the release of Mayhem and the Mortal with Shanora Williams!

EVENT DEETS

When: Monday, March 30 @ 6:30 PM CST

Where: Virtual via Zoom. (We'll send you the Zoom link!)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your spot or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shanora Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for her versatile voice, diverse characters, and high-stakes stories. Whether grounded in reality, set in a world of magic, or immersed in suspense, her books explore connection, chaos, and emotions that linger long after the last page.

As a self-proclaimed “mood writer”, Shanora has never believed in boxing herself in. Her desire has always been to take risks and challenge herself. If a plot is relentlessly on her mind, she will try her hand at it.

When she isn’t writing, she’s deep in family life, binge-watching shows and movies, working out, gaming, or getting cozy with a book. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and three sons.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

N.E. Davenport attended the University of Southern California and studied Biological Sciences and Theatre. She has an M.A. in Secondary Education, and she teaches English and Biology. She is also the author of Out of Body and the adult sci-fi novel The Blood Trials and The Blood Gift. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys vacationing with her family, skiing, and is a huge foodie. She lives in Texas with her kids. You can find her online at www.nedavenport.com, on Twitter @nia_davenport, or on Instagram @nia.davenport.

Celebrate the release of The World Before Racism: An Art Story with Lisa Farrington! This special author talk is sponsored by Houston Museum of African American Culture.

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, March 28 @ 2PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

*Please note outside copies of The World Before Racism will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Farrington is an award-winning author and art historian. She is Distinguished Professor Emerita, City University of New York, past Associate Dean of Fine Arts, Howard University, and past Associate Professor of Art History, Parsons School of Design, New York and Paris. Her books include "Creating Their Own Image: The History of African American Women Artists," "African American Art: A Visual and Cultural History," both for Oxford University Press (2006 and 2016), "The World Before Racism: An Art Story" (Artist Book Foundation 2026), "Black Artists in Their Own Words" (University of California Press 2025), among many others, as well as dozens of scholarly articles. She has appeared in numerous documentary films in the U.S., the U.K., and France, and is featured on television and radio. Currently, Dr. Farrington offers riveting lectures in the U.S. and abroad.

Celebrate the release of Black. Single. Mother. with Jamilah Lemieux!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, April 24 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St., Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A personal meditation on, examination of, and tribute to Black single motherhood, unapologetically told through poignant essays and candid interviews by a celebrated cultural critic

“Jamilah Lemieux is one of the most important feminist writers of the twenty-first century.”—Brittney Cooper

With her signature candid, humorous, and sometimes biting takes, Jamilah Lemieux suffers no fools while also courageously revealing the scars of her own parenting journey and search for self-acceptance in a world that hates “baby mamas.” With a particular verve and relatability—honed in her many years among Black Twitter’s most prominent voices—Lemieux centers the complex reality of Black single motherhood: uncertainty and fierceness alike.

Black. Single. Mother. combines riveting personal essays, infused with whip-smart cultural and historical analysis, with twenty-one intimate first-person testimonies from a spectrum of Black single mothers. A long-overdue offering in celebration of the American matriarch most often maligned, Black. Single. Mother. sets out to inspire a new cultural and community dialogue about this powerful figure as one profoundly deserving of love, support, and respect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamilah Lemieux is a cultural critic and writer with a focus on issues of race, gender, and sexuality. A leading feminist thinker, social influencer, and millennial media darling, Lemieux has written for a host of platforms, including the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, Essence, Playboy, The Cut, The Guardian, Colorlines, The Washington Post, Wired, Self, Refinery29, and Vanity Fair. She was prominently featured in Lifetime’s docuseries Surviving R. Kelly and Surviving R. Kelly 2: The Reckoning. She also appeared in A&E’s Secrets of Playboy. Lemieux penned the foreword for the anniversary editions of Michele Wallace’s Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman and Ann Petry’s Miss Muriel and Other Stories. Currently, she writes a weekly advice column for Slate‘s “Care and Feeding” parenting section. She resides in Los Angeles with her daughter Naima.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Josie Pickens is a veteran writer, journalist, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work examines culture, politics, race, gender, and sexuality with clarity and depth. She has written for national outlets including The Washington Post, The Guardian, EBONY, Essence, The Root, Mic, Bitch, NewsOne, and MadameNoire, blending reporting, cultural critique, and narrative insight. As a filmmaker and producer, Pickens has shaped documentary and nonfiction projects that center Black, queer, and marginalized communities, with a focus on systems of power and community resilience. Her writing and visual work are grounded in rigorous research and a commitment to amplifying voices and stories often overlooked in mainstream discourse.

Celebrate the release of Gather: Black Food, Nourishment, and the Art of Togetherness with Ashanté M. Reese!

EVENT DEETS

When: Wednesday, April 22 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming. 

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashanté M. Reese is a writer, anthropologist, and associate professor of African and African diaspora studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Born in Cooper Settlement, Texas, she lives in Austin and is involved in food justice movements nationwide.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Ivy Lawrence-Walls is a pioneering agriculturalist deeply ingrained in both community and culture, making significant strides in the farming sphere with an unwavering dedication to nurturing food-secure ecosystems. As a key figure in Houston, she spearheaded the establishment of a community farm in Sunnyside, one of the city's oldest predominantly Black neighborhoods. 

Leveraging her rich third-generation farming legacy and an entrepreneurial spirit, Ivy stands at the forefront of advocating for food accessibility and equity. Her impactful portfolio comprises Ivy Leaf Farms, Fresh Houwse Grocery, Kuji Kitchen restaurant, and Black Farmer Box. Her revolutionary efforts have placed her at the center of a movement to transform the agricultural landscape, especially in Black communities. 

Celebrate the release of The Art of Loving You with Natasha Bishop!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, April 17 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

or

Signing Line Only (Entry at 8:05 PM): These tickets do not include access to the author talk. This will allow immediate entry at 8:05 PM where will be able to get a copy of The Art of Loving You signed and get a photo with the author. 

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the buzzy, viral sensation Only For The Week, comes the next book in Natasha Bishop’s The Forever Falling series, featuring an intimate bucket list road trip, sexy banter, and a sweet and spicy second chance romance.

If you’re reading this, I’m dead.

Dani Jenkins is a boss. A model turned influencer, she doesn’t have time for taking a risk on romance. She prefers to keep things casual, but when her mentor Tanya dies, she is brought face-to-face with the man who broke her heart.

Dani and Micah had their chance at love...

Artist Micah Wright is a protector who loves fiercely. He’s known as the man everyone can count on, but he’s never forgiven himself for letting down the woman he loves. With Tanya’s dying wish forcing Dani and Micah back together to complete a scavenger hunt road trip, Micah sees a second chance for them to get things right.

Does time heal all wounds?

Tensions are high as their undeniable connection reignites, but Dani refuses to let her guard down. As they continue their journey, Micah is determined to prove to Dani that love is worth fighting for, but can she release her fears and relearn the art of loving?

Tropes: Friends to lovers / He falls first / Second chance romance / Black joy /Forced proximity / Right person, wrong time / Fling to forever

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Alexandra Warren is a contemporary romance author with over thirty works to date, all of which intentionally center Black love. She is also the co-founder of Girl, Have You Read…, a digital platform dedicated to Black romance written by Black authors. 

When she’s not in front of her computer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, watching sports, and clearing her DVR. Alexandra is a proud native of Omaha, Nebraska, but she currently calls Houston, Texas home. 

Celebrate the release of Big Girl Blitz with Danielle Allen!

EVENT DEETS

When: Monday, April 20 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Danielle Allen is the USA Today bestseller of Curvy Girl Summer, in additon to being an educator, and life coach. Living authentically has been the key to her living her best life. With a background in social sciences, helping people better understand themselves so they can become the best version of themselves is one of her passions. Writing contemporary romance novels that aims to change the status quo of the genre is another. 

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNERS

Alexandra Warren

Alexandra Warren is a contemporary romance author with over thirty works to date, all of which intentionally center Black love. She is also the co-founder of Girl, Have You Read…, a digital platform dedicated to Black romance written by Black authors. 

When she’s not in front of her computer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, watching sports, and clearing her DVR. Alexandra is a proud native of Omaha, Nebraska, but she currently calls Houston, Texas home. 

Monica Walters

Romance author, Monica Walters, is best known as the queen of country hood love stories. As an Amazon best-selling author, Monica has always had a passion for creating different worlds with words. The first country hood love story, 8 Seconds to Love, led to a string of novels highlighting country living, from rodeos to ranches, but with the characters maintaining the urban dialect that readers love from her. 
Monica has several awards under her belt, cementing her place in the romance genre, one of those being the 2023 AAMBC Romance Author of the Year. She was also awarded Best Series from Girlfriends Unfiltered in 2023 for The Berotte Family Series, earning her respect from her peers as a prominent series writer.

Monica was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, but she now resides in Nome, Texas where most of her country stories take place. Besides being a wife and mother, attaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology has only helped her become a better writer, understanding characters and their complex personalities.