ALIVE . . . at last
My fourth novel has arrived in print
My fourth novel has arrived and is available to order HERE. The publication of ALIVE NEARBY is especially rewarding because it was built through the unique talents of my supporting cast. ALIVE NEARBY is self-published which, despite the term, is not a solitary undertaking. I’ve had the invaluable assistance of Cheryl Clarke and Esther Cohen, as well as the editorial prowess of Stephanie Nikolopoulos. The beautiful cover was designed by Kyra Tilson from a photograph snapped by my iPhone in a neighborhood park. I fell under the spell of a stunning meadow of red poppies and photographed them without knowing their symbolism for remembrance.
This book is special to me personally because it is dedicated to my late son, Najeeb Walid Harb (1974 – 1989).
A While Back
Though my son, Najeeb Walid Harb, (August 4, 1974 – March 24, 1989), has been dead for thirty-four years, he remains the center of my interior world. Even deciding what language to use in describing him and what happened to him is fraught with worry. It isn’t often I speak or write his name. Najeeb. Najeeb. Najeeb. I reckon time by remembering the thing…
ALIVE NEARBY is fiction. It explores my feelings of loss and profound sorrow following Najeeb’s death. How does a parent survive? How does an individual thrive in the shadow of such a loss? Of course, the delights of happy recollections are part of the narrative as well. Pleasant memories are enshrined and remain available. Writing has offered an avenue for me, a way through the wilderness of grief. My three previous novels, RIVER, CROSS MY HEART, STAND THE STORM, and ANGELS MAKE THEIR HOPE HERE, explore sudden bereavement. In ALIVE NEARBY, retired school administrator Amarantha Douglas writes letters that juxtapose her personal loss with her family’s and institution’s long history in the highlands of New Jersey. Through the letters, Amy Douglas continues a tradition of correspondence and gives this vibrant family and institutional history to future generations.
On June 16, 17 & 18th, The Hobart Festival of Women Writers celebrated its tenth anniversary weekend, celebrating published women writers' work. We had a great lineup of writers who read, offered workshops and sold their books. Learn more about them and their work Here.
I’m happy to announce that my work is included in the craft book, HOW WE DO IT, an anthology curated by Jericho Brown and Darlene Taylor for the creation and proliferation of Black thought. HOW WE DO IT brings together essays by over thirty Black writers, an illustrious and varied group of writers that includes Nikki Giovanni, Rita Dove, Camille T. Dungy, W. Ralph Eubanks, Curdella Forbes, Angela Flournoy, Ernest Gaines, Marita Golden, Ravi Howard, Terrance Hayes, Mitchell S. Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Charles Johnson, Tayari Jones, Jamaica Kincaid, Tony Medina, E. Ethelbert Miller, Elizabeth Nunez, Carl Phillips, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Rion Amilcar Scott, Evie Shockley, Natasha Trethewey, Frank X Walker, Afaa M. Weaver, Crystal Wilkinson, Jacqueline Woodson, Tiphanie Yanique. I’m honored to be among them.
To order copies of ALIVE NEARBY, go to my online BOOKSTORE
Information about all of my books at: www.BreenaClarke.com
Esther Cohen, poet, novelist, and teacher takes her readers on her travels to MEXICO. More information at www.esthercohen.com.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 🎉🎉🎉
I look forward to reading your new novel. I continue to be inspired by you.