Melody Simpson
@melodysimpson.bsky.social
Writer. Founder of Melanin in YA (@melanininya.bsky.social), your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishing. All things TV, movies, books, sci-fi, theatre, & theology. Los Angeles / Austin https://melodylsimpson.com
Paramount has closed its $81 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, creating “Skydance”
Paramount and Warner Bros are now one Hollywood giant: Skydance. Here's how we got here
Skydance-owned Paramount has closed its $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday. The new Hollywood giant will have a shorter nametag: “Skydance.”
apnews.com
IF YOU LIVE IN TEXAS AND WANT TO STOP BOOK BANS!! TAKE ACTION! Make your voice heard. Interim Hearing. October 7, 2026. Texas Capitol. Austin, TX. E1.028. Meeting starts at 8AM. buff.ly/3dLesWM
Share your SB 12 & SB 13 story with the Senate Education Committee.
Make your voice heard. Interim Hearing. October 7, 2026. Texas Capitol. Austin, TX. E1.028. Meeting starts at 8AM.
buff.ly
Anti-Prime Day starts…NOW! 🥳 Today through midnight on 10/7, enjoy free shipping site-wide, all while supporting local, independent bookstores.
Narrators make or break a book for me. When you find ones you really like, look for them in other stories.
Melody Simpson@melodysimpson.bsky.social · 3d agoNewly updated! Our comprehensive guide to Black Audiobook Narrators of traditionally published Black YA books (fiction & nonfiction). Helpful for audiobook listeners looking for their next fave narrator & authors creating shortlists for their future audiobooks! VISIT melanininya.com/narrators
Newly updated! Our comprehensive guide to Black Audiobook Narrators of traditionally published Black YA books (fiction & nonfiction). Helpful for audiobook listeners looking for their next fave narrator & authors creating shortlists for their future audiobooks! VISIT melanininya.com/narrators
New favorite negative audiobook review: the woman who criticized the Transatlantic accent I did for the part of an aging 1940s starlet, because she thinks I’m British and making fun of Americans
If you’ve ever used Melanin in YA, you know it’s an invaluable resource for Black creatives and readers. The founder has funded this out-of-pocket for years but they need the writing community's help to keep operations running and scale up. (1/2)
Donate to Support Melanin in YA's Expansion, organized by Melody Simpson
Melanin in YA , your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishin… Melody Simpson needs your support for Support Melanin in YA's Expansion
gofundme.com
Are you querying or will you soon be querying your YA novel? Looking for a Black Literary Agent? Here's a comprehensive list of Black Literary Agents who currently rep &/or are seeking YA Lit. Stay up to date on who they are, when they're open to queries & more! melanininya.com/agents
Apologies if you're seeing this for the millionth time but please help support the work of this very necessary database in a time when Black literature is starting to become overlooked in the way that it was pre2020. We can't let that happen. Please support. Thanks! www.gofundme.com/f/support-me...
Donate to Support Melanin in YA's Expansion, organized by Melody Simpson
Melanin in YA , your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishin… Melody Simpson needs your support for Support Melanin in YA's Expansion
gofundme.com
Apologies if you're seeing this for the millionth time but please help support the work of this very necessary database in a time when Black literature is starting to become overlooked in the way that it was pre2020. We can't let that happen. Please support. Thanks! www.gofundme.com/f/support-me...
Donate to Support Melanin in YA's Expansion, organized by Melody Simpson
Melanin in YA , your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishin… Melody Simpson needs your support for Support Melanin in YA's Expansion
gofundme.com
Join us tomorrow, on September 22nd, for a Q&A with Mary Robinette Kowal on Zoom via our Patreon. Free trial available for our Q&A tier!
ICYMI: UPDATED DATES! Due to a holiday on September 21st, we have expanded PreDV to be 2 days long! You can post your pitch practices on both September 21 & 22, 2026 from 8-5PM ET!
More amazing #PreDV volunteers who will help critique pitches on Sept 21-22! Thank you to: @melodysimpson.bsky.social @leslieadame.bsky.social @maxinegkaplan.bsky.social @amparoortiz.bsky.social @ltthompsonbooks.bsky.social @seanarcherx.bsky.social #dvpit
Agented Writers! Are you on submission or will you soon be going on sub with a YA book? Looking to work with a Black Editor at a traditional publisher? Check out my guide of Black Editors accepting YA Lit. Stay up to date on who they are, what they are looking for & more! melanininya.com/editors
TAKE 2: I'm determined to expand Melanin in YA, your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishing & I ain't too proud to beg! If you'd like to support THE ultimate resource for all things Black in YA, please share/donate. Thank you! NEW LINK: www.gofundme.com/f/support-me...
Donate to Support Melanin in YA's Expansion, organized by Melody Simpson
Melanin in YA , your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publish… Melody Simpson needs your support for Support Melanin in YA's Expansion
gofundme.com
Did you know... Between 2015-2026 (to date), only 73 YA books by Black Authors appeared on the NYT Bestsellers List. 13 Black YA Authors debuted between 2015-2019. 29 debuted 2020-2026. That's 69% of Black YA Authors who debuted in or after 2020. More stats at melanininya.com/nyt-hardcover
I’m the creator of Melanin in YA, a database dedicated to featuring all things Black in traditional YA publishing. I’m asking for your $ help, with a roadmap so that you can see the work that will continue to go into elevating Melanin in YA. See roadmap here: melanininya.com/2026/09/04/m...
Melanin in YA: The Roadmap
Building the future of connection in Black young adult storytelling. Hello Friends, Where has the time gone? I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all had quite an interesting handful of …
melanininya.com
Guidance from the @authorsguild.org on navigating the Anthropic settlement claims portal; they also offer guidance for authors of educational works, and why authors w/ rights reversions may be seeing publisher claims authorsguild.org/news/importa...
Important Information Regarding Anthropic Copyright Settlement Claim Notices
As part of the claims reconciliation process in the Anthropic copyright class action lawsuit, the settlement administrator sent out notices this week to all claimants summarizing each of their claims,...
authorsguild.org
Hello! Melanin in YA update! A lot of time has passed, a lot has changed but one constant is that Melanin in YA has survived! And continues to! Woo! You all have constantly reminded me that the value of Melanin in YA cannot be denied. And so we go!
Hey, I have had some questions about who is allowed to file. Here is the class certification:
Courtney Milan@courtneymilan.com · last yr.Hi authors! Please remember to file a claim!
Today August 15th is the last day to cast your vote for the Ignyte Awards! Go here to vote: ignyteawards.fiyahlitmag.com/vote
The Ignyte Awards@theignyteawards.bsky.social · last yr.The #IgnyteAwards for Outstanding Anthology/Collected Works are:
"i just use AI for-" say no more, i already think less of you
Not my bro saying Oprah said “Look under you car, I’m putting life jackets there!” 💀💀💀
"I used to believe that if I stayed out of politics and focused on my work, then I could avoid ostracizing anyone and things would just work themselves out. But now, the work of helping my patrons feel safe, informed, and free is itself political" bookriot.com/running-for-...
How a Quiet Librarian Became a Loud Threat to the Iowa Legislature: Book Censorship News, July 19, 2025
How one Iowa librarian went from being unaware of attacks on books and libraries to running for state-level office to turn the tide around.
bookriot.com
Here's India May's story of how she went from a quiet librarian to a loud threat to Iowa Legislature. She's running for office, thanks to seeing the ways that the current legislature is specifically targeting libraries throughout the state: bookriot.com/running-for-...
How a Quiet Librarian Became a Loud Threat to the Iowa Legislature: Book Censorship News, July 19, 2025
How one Iowa librarian went from being unaware of attacks on books and libraries to running for state-level office to turn the tide around.
bookriot.com
You know how those of us who've been covering and talking about and shouting about book bans for over 4 years now have talked about how vital it is to show up to school board meetings and library board meetings? How necessary it is to vote down ballot? How change happens by "being political?"