One of my favorite quotes of his is, “Omar Don’t Scare.” The other is, of course, “A man gotta have a code.” But instead of being just a straightforward “bad guy,” he’s also this amazingly complex human being who takes his grandmother to church on Sundays and has tender, loving relationships with his boyfriends. Omar scares EVERYBODY because he’s ferocious and fearless and will. He’s a brilliantly-written-and brilliantly-portrayed, thank you Michael Kenneth Williams-Baltimore criminal who robs drug dealers for a living. Who is one of your favorite (fictional or non-fictional) characters and why? Jenni: It sounds like Paterson has also inspired you to tackle difficult ideas in your writing as well. And it continues to be the gold standard I judge my own writing against today. Like, how do you carry on when you resent your sister more than you love her? And how do you cope when the love your parents give you is…lacking? More than any other book, this is the one that inspired me to become a writer.

Apart from the beautiful writing and unforgettable characters, it’s a story that refuses to shy away from difficult ideas. But JACOB HAVED I LOVED by Katherine Paterson, really stands out for being so unique and true and brave. There were so many books I loved as a kid my family moved a lot, and books were one of the few constants in my life. Talk about one book that made an impact on you. We will select and contact the very lucky winner on Friday, February 24th at noon (US Only).

Interview with Jennifer Latham + #DebBallGiveaway of #DreamlandBurning! RT to Enter! /FFQF0P6F7X I almost want to drop a mic right here and now because that book summary is so dang good! Right? Lucky you, you can enter to win a copy by retweeting on twitter: Through intricately interwoven alternating perspectives, Jennifer Latham’s lightning-paced page-turner brings the Tulsa race riot of 1921 to life and raises important question about the complex state of US race relations-both yesterday and today. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery the night Tulsa burns. Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past…and the present.

Today on the Debutante Ball, I’m excited to welcome a fellow historical novelist, Jennifer Latham, whose book, DREAMLAND BURNING, is one I’ve had my eye on for a while and also one that’s accumulating one starred review after another (Congratulations, Jen!!).

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