BLACK VOICES SPECIAL NEWSLETTER EDITION

2020 was a challenging year to be sure, but one of the positives was our collective wake-up call to the persistence of racism in this country. The protests that erupted in response to the murder of George Floyd rang out everywhere, including here at Matchbook. 

One of the cornerstones of our work is our indie bookstore print newsletter that features new and forthcoming books. I do all the curation of these titles, and though I have tried to make sure my selections reflect author diversity, I know I don’t always get it right.

So I decided to put together a catalog specifically to celebrate contemporary Black authors. Our printer, Franklin Web Printing, didn’t hesitate to join in, and we both provided our services free of charge. 

Though the 2020 edition has already printed and shipped, you can download the digital pdf by clicking on the newsletter image. Please use it freely, and we hope it helps you increase your sales of these amazing books! 

The Collection

This curated list highlights contemporary Black authors (first) and their books (second). Our goal is to help readers discover the full body of work of each of the featured authors. Some of the books selected are backlist items, though pulled from just the last couple of years. Of those, most of those authors have forthcoming books, which are also listed in the blurb. In this way, we hope to keep readers engaged with backlist, new, and forthcoming titles, getting to know each author more deeply.

Future Editions

We are interested in producing this catalog annually, and are looking for sponsors to help us cover the cost of production. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to us through our contact page. And thanks!

-Gwyn Ridenhour, Matchbook Founder