Brown Girls Publishing: New Black Books Penned By Kids, For Kids

It’s an accomplishment many talk about but few actually achieve—becoming a published author. And now, five young writers are able to add that accolade to their resumes.

Teens Gloria Clark and Sydni Moore are the proud authors of the new book, “Anything I Wanna Be.” The duo joins twelve-year-old Morgan Billingsley, eleven-year-old Jackie Lee and ten-year-old Gabrielle Simone, who together penned the magical Christmas book, The Perfect Present.

Both books signify the launch of Brown Girls Teens and Brown Girls Kids, a new imprint from Brown Girls Books. All of the titles in the imprint will be written BY young people, FOR young people.

The five talented girls say they are ecstatic about the opportunity to share their words and creative vision with the world. “We love to write, there is no better feeling than putting your imagination on paper for the world to see,” said Gloria Clark, a 17-year-old from Atlanta, GA.

“We get to tell our stories that hopefully, inspires someone else’s journey,” added 17-year-old Sydni Moore, who is also from Atlanta.

Both Sydni and Gloria have always loved writing, so they relish the opportunity to combine that passion with their desire to motivate others.

“As cliché as it sounds, I really believe that I can do any and everything I put my mind to. Sometimes, though, kids feel bound to their current situations and circumstances and can’t see that the world is theirs for the taking, with hard work, of course,” said Moore, who plans to be a motivational speaker and a broadcast journalist when she grows up.

The new authors are having to balance book promotion with their busy school schedules, but they welcome the challenge.

“We were busy people before we even started writing the book. I am heavily involved in my school work. I am a student-athlete and speak and perform at a lot of venues,” says Clark, who was recently selected by HBO to open for their award-winning film screening for the documentary “Dyslexia-The Big Picture,” and was invited by Yale University for a spoken word performance of her poetry.

Moore, a Senior Class president, maintains a busy schedule as well. “I have several clubs and community service organizations that I am a part of and that is just the beginning, but like my mom always says, you make time for what you love. I love everything I set my mind to do. I am an all-in type of person, there is nothing that I can’t handle.”

Both of these young ladies hope to serve as an inspiration to young people everywhere. With poems and short stories that deal with everything from breaking up to texting and driving, Gloria and Sydni want “Anything I Wanna Be” to give girls encouragement and motivation. 

Morgan, Gabrielle and Jackie have similar goals with The Perfect Present. The trio co-wrote three amazing stories about the magic of Christmas and discovering what really matters when it comes to celebrating the season!

“The holidays are super important to us because it’s a time for family and love, but sometimes, kids get caught up in the materialistic stuff and forget what’s really important,” says Billingsley, who lives in Houston.

For these girls, being writers is a completely new experience but a fun one.
“Writing stories is something I like to so. I want to show other young girls that you should follow your dreams. Believe that you can and you will!” says Jackie, who resides in Danville, VA.

“It feels good to be an author because I accomplished something that I worked very hard on. It took me a long time to write my story and I’m proud that people will have a chance to read it,” added Gabrielle, whose short story, “Kylie: The Smallest Elf” helps children see that the size of their heart is all that really matters.

Morgan’s story, “Operation: Santa is Real” follows troublesome twins as they try to find out if Santa really exists but discover the magic is in the love, not the gifts. And Jackie’s “Friending the Grinch” will have kids re-examining how they treat one another.

“I wanted kids to see how sometimes, they make it hard for the new kids at school. It would be nice if everyone could learn to be nice and learn to be friends,” Jackie said.
Anything I Wanna Be and The Perfect Present are available through most major retailers, online and at www.browngirlspublishing.com.

“We are so excited to give these young voices a platform,” said Brown Girls Books co-founder, Victoria Christopher Murray. “While the imprint is called Brown Girls Teens/Brown Girls Kids, look for stories from boys and girls, from all walks of life. We have stories for everyone and we’re thrilled to introduce tomorrow’s writers today.”

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Brown Girls Publishing is a boutique publishing company, founded by National Bestselling Authors Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley. The company focuses primarily on digital content, while still providing printed books through various retailers. Their goal is to provide a voice for literary fan favorites, while introducing the next generation of authors.