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“I was going to do whatever I wanted”: Stephanie Wambugu on her career as a writer and editor

“I was going to do whatever I wanted”: Stephanie Wambugu on her career as a writer and editor December 30, 2025 Editor’s note With her celebrated debut novel, Lonely Crowds—which has been hailed as both the book of the summer and a best book of 2025—Stephanie delivers a moving, Ferrante-like study on the complexities of female friendship. It’s a mark of distinction that is evident from its first pages: “When I met Maria,” her narrator… Read More »“I was going to do whatever I wanted”: Stephanie Wambugu on her career as a writer and editor

“I realized that maybe I could be the one”: Anna Malaika Tubbs on her career as a writer and TED speaker

“I realized that maybe I could be the one”: Anna Malaika Tubbs on her career as a writer and TED speaker November 25, 2025 You can listen to the introduction to this interview on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.   Editor’s note Anna Malaika’s latest book, Erased, showcases her characteristic ability to make complex ideas accessible at every level. Building on both her acclaimed first book and viral TED Talk, it examines the far-reaching impacts… Read More »“I realized that maybe I could be the one”: Anna Malaika Tubbs on her career as a writer and TED speaker

“I essentially rearranged my life”: Emily J. Smith on her career as a writer and novelist

“I essentially rearranged my life”: Emily J. Smith on her career as a writer and novelist October 28, 2025 You can listen to the introduction to this interview on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.   Editor’s note With her debut novel, Emily has accomplished the rare feat of writing a book that is timely, incisive, and deeply affecting — all while being the kind of impossible-to-put-down read that audiences dream of finding. The book, along… Read More »“I essentially rearranged my life”: Emily J. Smith on her career as a writer and novelist

“I realized I could see myself there”: Nikkya Hargrove on her career as a writer and memoirist

“I realized I could see myself there”: Nikkya Hargrove on her career as a writer and memoirist September 2, 2025 You can listen to the introduction to this interview on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.   Editor’s note Nikkya’s writing in Mama, her first book, is visceral and punctuated in its vulnerability. She recounts each of the emotionally saturated events that frame her memoir with open-hearted precision, including her mother’s incarceration, the adoption of her… Read More »“I realized I could see myself there”: Nikkya Hargrove on her career as a writer and memoirist

“I’m doing everything I want to do”: Carrie Sun on her career as a writer and memoirist

“I’m doing everything I want to do”: Carrie Sun on her career as a writer and memoirist July 29, 2025 You can listen to the introduction to this interview on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.   Editor’s note Among the most compelling memoirs are those that offer a window into experiences so singular they would otherwise remain known to only a fraction of humanity. Literary treasures of this kind are scarce not because extraordinary experiences… Read More »“I’m doing everything I want to do”: Carrie Sun on her career as a writer and memoirist