Books

3 Ways to Honor Black History Month

Black History Month is here and while Black history is honored all year long at See Jane Write headquarters, I thought February would be a good time to share 3 ways you can honor Black culture, too. 

In the picture above I’m holding my Black History Month TBR stack. And I realized that each of these three books is a great example of something significant we can do this month to support Black women. 

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Tech executive Martha Underwood adds ‘children’s book author’ to her resume

Martha Underwood had always dreamed of writing a children’s book. But as a senior technology executive who leads large software teams, Martha is busy. Really busy.

But Martha has finally made room for her passion for writing to pen a new children’s book series just in time for Christmas.

Parkers’ Elf and Paiyton’s Elf, which feature Black children and Black elves, were inspired by Martha’s sons’ love of Christmas and the challenges they’ve faced dealing with the heaviness of current events. The books help children explore diversity, self-esteem, and emotions all through the magic of Christmas.

The children in the stories are excited about Christmas but worry that their struggles with managing their emotions might ruin their holiday. Fortunately, with the help of a magical elf, the children learn how to communicate their feelings. Parents and teachers will appreciate how the stories guide children through different scenarios to help them conquer fear, deal with disappointment, and manage frustration.

Martha’s series also includes the books Ethan’s Elf and Emma’s Elf.

We had a chat with Martha about her new book series, the importance of diversity in children’s books, and more.

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3 Books Every Freelance Writer Should Read

Stephen King once said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Sometimes, the things we read will help us with the craft of writing. Sometimes we need to read books that will just keep us going. That’s why I return to books like Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg again and again.

Freelance writing, however, is a different kind of animal and requires a different kind of reading.

Here are 3 books I believe every freelance writer should read.

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Kimberley Carter Spivey wants to help you “Bloom”

Do you feel a constant tug on your heart to go after your goals? Do you feel a constant tug at your heart telling you that you were meant for more?

If so, Kimberley Carter Spivey wrote her new book for you.

Bloom: How to Get from Good Enough to a Life You Love is part memoir, part self-help, and Kimberley wrote this book to help you make the life of your dreams a reality.

Kimberley is the woman behind the blog Girl, You Write and as she juggles marriage and motherhood with a writing career and a day job, she certainly knows what it takes to go after goals. It’s her go-getter attitude that made her See Jane Write Member of the Month back in September 2019. And now the See Jane Write community can’t wait to dive into her new book.

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