After a summer hiatus, we’re back! For our first episode back, I had the chance to speak to Kendra James, author and podcast producer at Crooked Media. We discuss Kendra's memoir 'Admissions,' which recounts her experiences as a Black girl at Taft School. Our conversation delves into our shared experiences of Black girlhood, the complexities of writing a memoir, and of course, all of the books that shaped Kendra’s reading experiences as a kid.

00:00 Welcome Back to Unbound

00:32 Introducing Kendra James

01:36 Diving into Kendra's Memoir

03:31 Kendra's Childhood Reading Influences

05:16 Exploring Historical Fiction and Girlhood

15:29 Harry Potter and Fan Fiction Beginnings

25:47 Boarding School Expectations vs. Reality

30:56 Navigating Identity and Social Dynamics at Taft

41:04 Reflecting on Early Career Challenges

41:40 Navigating DEI Work in Independent Schools

43:12 Self-Reflection and Program Issues

44:33 Subtle Racism and Personal Experiences

49:26 Writing a Memoir: Process and Boundaries

52:57 The Journey to Publication

01:03:39 Bookish Lightning Round

01:14:11 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

For a full list of books mentioned, join the Unbound community on Substack

Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James

Follow Kendra James on instagram: @kendrajames_

Follow Mbiye Kasonga: @mbiye_K

Produced by Moyo Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Unbound, I’m talking to writer, editor, and author of A Hundred Other Girls, Iman Hariri-Kia!

Tune in as we discuss:

• The complexities of girlhood being reflected in Young Adult fiction
• The publishing industry’s relationship with the Romance genre
• Book Tok as a tool for community
• The disparity of sex education in America
• The methodology behind writing a sex scene
• Her sophomore novel, coming soon, The Most Famous Girl in The World

I am left with the thoughts of how our own familial love can be reflected in fiction writing and being a character in New York’s story rather than New York a character in mine.

For a full list of books mentioned, join the Unbound community on Substack

Follow Iman Hariri-Kia on instagram: @imanharirikia

Follow Iman Hariri-Kia on TikTok:@imanharirikia

Visit Iman Hariri-Kia website: https://www.imanharirikia.com/about

Check out Iman’s Substack: Cherry Picked

Follow Mbiye Kasonga: @mbiye_K

Produced by Moyo Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first episode of Unbound I knew that I had to start off by talking to beauty and culture writer and author of Homebodies, Tembe Denton-Hurst!

Tune in as we discuss:

• The intimacy of reading
• Being both a deep reader and a deep writer
• Representation in children’s fiction
• The key elements of space and place within Homebodies
• The promise that New York City holds

Leaving me to ruminate on books as affirmation and answering the question of do we truly have to like the protagonist in the books we cherish.

For a full list of books mentioned, join the Unbound community on Substack

Follow Tembe Denton-Hurst: @tembae

Check out Tembe’s Bookish Substack: Extracurricular Substack

Follow Mbiye Kasonga: @mbiye_K

Produced by Moyo Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.