Melissa Valentine – Author of the memoir The Names of All the Flowers
This week our guest is memoirist Melissa Valentine, author of The Names of All the Flowers, which explores growing up mixed race in Oakland, being part of a family fractured by the school to prison pipeline, and losing her brother. In this episode, we discuss her writing process, and:
- Doing the writing first before anything else
- Writing as a self-help tool
- And more
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- Visit Melissa’s Website, Instagram, and Twitter
- Order her book, The Names of All the Flowers
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- Learn more about The Feminist Press, which lifts up insurgent and marginalized voices from around the world to build a more just future
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This Week’s Writing Prompt
Each week the featured author offers a writing prompt for you to use at home. I suggest setting a timer for 6 or 8 minutes, putting the writing prompt at the top of your page, and free writing whatever comes to mind. Remember, the important part is keeping your pen moving. You can always edit later. Right now we just want to write something new and see what happens.
This week’s writing prompt is: Read two pages of any piece of literature and let it inspire you to write.
Explore Womxn Authors
In this episode, the author recommended these womxn writers:
- Zora Neale Hurston, author of Dust Tracks on a Road
- Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina
- Robin Coste Lewis, author of Voyage of the Sable Venus
- Clarice Lispector, author of The Passion According to G.H.
Ensure the Podcast Continues
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Check Out Black Womxn Authors
- Episode 28: Liara Tamani – Author of All The Things We Never Knew
- Episode 27: Aja Black – Songwriter of musical duo The Reminders
- Episdoe 15: Brittney Morris – Author of Slay
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