Author Deesha Philyaw discusses her critically acclaimed short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, why she started writing about "church ladies" in the first place, and her love for fantastic first lines.

National Book Award Winner James McBride discusses his new novel, Deacon King Kong, why he almost missed Oprah's call, and why the writing is easy for him, but the thinking is hard.

Author Walter Mosley discusses his new short story collection, The Awkward Black Man, how he's able to write so much, and why he won't hesitate to chuck a book if it's not working.

Author Yaa Gyasi discusses her new novel, Transcendent Kingdom, what she read to prepare to write about a neuroscientist who's studying addiction, and why she wanted to explore how faith shapes a character like her protagonist.

Author Ben Okri discusses his new short story collection, Prayer for the Living, why he wants readers to take their time with his work, and why re-reading is more pleasurable for him than reading.

Claudia Rankine discusses Just Us: An American Conversation, her genre-defying book about whiteness and how it functions in the US, as well as what she gained during quarantine, and why the pandemic has made this topic easier to discuss.

Award-winning author Alisson Wood discusses her debut memoir, Being Lolita, how she feels about being forever tied to the Nabokov novel and who she ultimately wrote this book for.

Award-winning author Natalia Sylvester discusses her first YA novel, Running, why she doesn't call herself an activist and ultimately decided to write unapologetically for her community.

Writer Edwidge Danticat discusses living and writing during quarantine, her latest short story collection, Everything Inside, and what legendary authors Toni Morrison and Paule Marshall meant to her.

Sara Collins discusses her debut novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, why she wanted to shake up how Black women are portrayed in historical fiction and the celebrated writer she's ashamed to admit is not her cup of tea.