DePaul SURG Grant Award Winner!

 

I'm very excited and so grateful to share that my proposal for the Summer Undergraduate Research Grant at DePaul has been approved! I’ll be diving into the world of hybrid publishing, a model where authors share costs with professional publishers, to explore how it challenges long-held ideas about legitimacy, credibility, and who gets to shape the literary landscape.

The project itself will be a kind of hybrid: blending literary review, digital ethnography (Reddit threads, Substack newsletters, and lit-world Instagram), and conversations with publishing professionals. I’m especially interested in the rhetorics of value, gatekeeping, and creative control and what that reveals about the future of publishing.

 

Ebb & Flow is Available Wherever You Buy Books!

 

I quietly released the second edition of my debut poetry collection, Ebb & Flow, earlier this month. The first edition came out way back in 2017 with a very, small limited run sold mostly within the Dallas cultural arts community.

While it never had a strong online presence, it’s been one of the most meaningful projects of my life. It has sort of become this de facto, rhetorical tool for communicating with other creatives, and it has connected me with so many people who have shaped me as a writer and as a person existing in the world.

This new edition features a refreshed layout, omits a few earlier pieces, and introduces new poems that better reflect how my voice and perspective have evolved over time.

It's available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Lulu. If you grab a copy, please show some love and leave a review (they matter more than you know). 🙂 🙏

Amazon: https://shorturl.at/VqncB
B&N: https://shorturl.at/5Z6QA
Lulu: https://shorturl.at/UnvBc
Website: https://shorturl.at/efzmJ

 

Children's Book Council "Hot Off the Press" Pick: Max and Mama by Laura Numeroff

 

Brown Books Publishing Group is thrilled to celebrate the upcoming release of Max and Mama, the newest title from The New York Times #1 bestselling author Laura Numeroff—hitting shelves next Tuesday, April 15!

We’re also proud to share that Max and Mama has been selected for The Children's Book Council’s April Hot Off the Press List.

Laura kicked off her book tour last week with a signing at the Texas Library Association Conference right here in Dallas. It was such a joy to see her connect with librarians, educators, and industry peers—thank you to everyone who stopped by.

 

The Second Edition of Ebb & Flow is Out Now!

 

A contemplative exploration of change and impermanence
Ebb & Flow is a surreal journey through change, impermanence, and self. Written over the course of a single moon cycle, this debut poetry collection weaves together science, language, and emotion, exploring the fluidity of time and transformation. Griffiths draws on the rhythm of the lunar phases, merging the scientific with the personal as she navigates themes of transition, self-discovery, and the quiet beauty of life's fleeting moments. The collection mirrors the unpredictable movement of the tides—always shifting, yet rooted in the shared human experience of change. Each poem invites readers to reflect on how we all navigate life's currents and how the search for meaning is never truly solitary.

At once intimate and universal, Ebb & Flow speaks to the rhythms that bind us, revealing the mystery and power in accepting the transient moments that shape us.

 

Plant Tour at Versa Press

 

Last week, Danny Whitworth and I had the opportunity to represent Brown Books Publishing Group on a tour of Versa Press, Inc. We spent the day gaining an in-depth understanding of the printing process and meeting with key members of the production team. It was truly remarkable to see how technological advancements, such as CTP technology and automated workflows, have transformed the publishing industry from the days of the Gutenberg Press to modern offset and digital printing.

Special thanks to Daniel Quimby and Brian Opper for hosting us for the day and sharing their time and expertise as they showed us around the plant. It was a wonderful way to celebrate over ten years of continued partnership!

 

Harvard's CopyrightX Course

 

This year I had the privilege of attending Harvard’s annual online copyright course, CopyrightX. For the past 12 weeks, I had the opportunity to meet weekly with peers from all over the world to study and learn about the foundations of copyright law and how technologies and globalization are changing the shape of the law as we know it today.

A very big thank you to my cohort for their excellent discussions and to our instructor, Ming Li, for expertly guiding us through years of case law!

 

A Letter from Alice McLerran

 

Earlier this week, while sorting through some old files, I came across an email I received years ago from Alice McLerran. In my early twenties, I had reached out to her on a whim, hoping to learn more about the inspiration behind her book Roxaboxen. I had first encountered the book as a kindergartner, when I received a signed copy, and it immediately captured my heart. Even now, as an adult, it remains my favorite children's book.

Though Alice had no reason to remember me, she responded with remarkable kindness and generosity. Reading her email again after all these years, I realize that sincerity seemed to be her natural way of engaging with others. I will always be grateful for this brief exchange with the author whose book introduced me to the profound impact of creativity and imagination.

 

Ingram Children's Advance | December 2022

 

I’m thrilled to share that The Story of Ukraine (Brown Books Kids) has graced the cover of Ingram Advance! This recognition comes at a crucial moment, as the war in Ukraine enters its first year, making the book's timely release even more significant. Inside, you'll find an insightful two-page Q&A with authors Olena Kharchenko and Michael Sampson, alongside illustrator Polina Doroshenko. Their perspectives provide a deeper understanding of Ukraine's history, culture, and resilience, offering a powerful context for the ongoing conflict.

We are proud to see this work being recognized for its relevance and impact during such a pivotal time.

 

Melancholy Hour at the Wild Detectives

 

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Nigel Newton and Janielle Kastner for inviting me to participate in the second installment of Melancholy Hour at The Wild Detectives this past Sunday. It was a pleasure reading Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rains from The Martian Chronicles.

• • • • • •

Join us for the return of Melancholy Hour: Happy Hour for the Rest of Us, an evening of reflective prose and soulful music on Sunday, June 27th from 7-8 PM. It’s that bittersweet moment when the realization hits that the weekend is over, and existential thoughts begin to creep in as the slanted sunlight fades.

A selection of thoughtful readers will present 10-15 minutes of prose centered around the theme of Isolation—exploring what it has felt like (or continues to feel like) for them. The readings will be accompanied by live music from Nigel Newton (vibes) and Neil Coburn (guitar), creating an atmosphere of perfectly moody reflection.

 

Mavs Open Press Wins Publishing Practice Award in Accessibility

 

I am pleased to announce that Mavs Open Press has been awarded the Accessibility Award for our publication, Applied Fluid Mechanics Lab Manual. The submissions were evaluated by the LPC Publishing Practice Awards Committee through a competitive selection process. Our submission was recognized for "demonstrating exemplary practices in publishing, with a strong emphasis on key publishing principles."

For further details on our publishing practices, please visit the LPC Blog.