May 2, 2023

To the Women Who Came Before Me

Crystal Smith Paul discusses the women in her family who shaped her into the person she is today.

To the Women Who Came Before Me

Crystal Smith Paul discusses the women in her family who shaped her into the person she is today.

The dedication of Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? sets the tone of the narrative before it even starts. At its core, this novel is about loss and is my attempt to fill in the leaves of a family tree. I dedicated the book to my paternal great-grandmother Nellie, her daughter, my grandmother Magdalene, and my maternal grandmother, Mamie, as a sign of respect for the sacrifices they made so that I could, one day, muster the audacity to think I could write fiction for a living. Many people don’t get the chance to know their grandparents, let alone their great-grandparents, and I was lucky to land on this Earth before they departed. As you read, you’ll meet many characters, some of whom are sprinkled with the essence of Nellie, Magdalene, and Mamie.

My great-grandmother Nellie was raised on a North Carolina farm. She was fortunate, at that time, to have had an eighth-grade education. She was a skilled cook and even though we have her biscuit recipe, somehow, they never turn out like hers. She baked birthday cakes for loved ones, and always made her family breakfast first before going to work as a maid. She became a mother in her teens and raised her grandchildren after encouraging her daughter to pursue her education. She died before I turned six, but I have the clearest memories of her skinning the rabbits my great-grandfather hunted, packing snuff tobacco into her lip and cracking walnuts. When her breast cancer advanced, I became her shadow. Everyone thought it was strange, my being unafraid of her sickness, but she told me stories and we played Chinese Checkers for hours. The doll she made for me in her last year sits in my office staring at me when I write.

My grandmother Magdalene was a single mother of four by the time she was in her mid-twenties. Still, she graduated college and worked as a teacher for forty-seven years. I never saw her wear pants and her dresses were always full-length and covered her arms. She was a taskmaster who believed in God, good manners, and proper use of the King’s English. She sung gospel around the house and my summers with her meant workbooks and church. Thanks to her, I was always a step ahead in school.

My grandmother Mamie lived to be one hundred years old and outlived my grandfather, with whom she shared thirteen children, by decades. She relinquished whatever dreams she may have had for motherhood and never played favorites or acted out whatever resentments she may have harbored. She never had a formal job of her own but helped my grandfather run his used furniture store in Los Angeles. She played the piano by ear, was mostly soft-spoken and loved watching her “stories”. I often ruminate about who she would have been had her life taken a different turn.

Their deaths changed the dynamics on both sides of my family, and in my deepest moments of reflection I write about how much they gave and become sad, because ultimately, they all deserved more. Being female, being Black and growing up in America when segregation was the law, they made the best of the circumstances they were given. I’d like to think that the remnants of their resilience helped me to become the writer I am today.

Stories are more than words on page — they’re memory, tradition, and love carried across generations. 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re honoring the voices that keep culture alive. In A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey, a Cuban-American teen finds herself far from Miami, but never far from the heart of home:

“Our story, our people live on in these words. They grow between pages that are sized to fit between a reader’s hands. Small, yes, but somehow they hold us all.” 

Here’s to honoring the voices that remind us where we come from– and where we’re going.  Drop a 🇨🇺 if you've read A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow (or if it's on your TBR!)
Ali Kriegsman has a gift for making the art of reinvention feel accessible and empowering. ✨

On this week's episode of Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club podcast, @AliKriegs chats with @DanielleRobay about her new psychological thriller 'The Raise', reinvention, and her bold, fun approach to self-publishing. 

Listen now at the @iHeartPodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen. 🎧
Hoping your week is filled with coffee and good reads! 📖☕ 

Our August Pick Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by @AshleyJordanWrites is one of those rare books that can lift your spirits and set a positive tone for the week ahead.
✨ From the voice of @ElianaRamage herself, prepare to be swept into the cosmos. To the Moon and Back will leave you star-struck 🌙🔭 Tap the link in bio to grab a copy.
"If you are on the hunt for a book that has heart, ambition and authenticity dripping from its pages, add this one to your TBR immediately."

📷+💬= @thatbookladybythesea
These characters are taking us back! We're HUGE Judy Greer fans. ✨

This week on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club Podcast, we welcome the incredible @MissJudyGreer! @DanielleRobay and Judy chat her new Stephen King movie adaptation, @HelloSunshine's The Last Thing He Told Me, and of course, dream bookclubs.

Listen on the @iheartpodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen, and discover which of Judy’s other iconic characters got the book club invite🎧
GIVEAWAY ✨ We're giving away 5 advance copies of the coveted Gone Before Goodbye by @ReeseWitherspoon and @HarlanCoben. Be the first to dive in!

To ENTER:
1. Like this post 💙
2. Follow @reesesbookclub
3. Tag a friend!

Giveaway ends 9/24/25 at 11:59 PT. (5) winners will be notified by DM from @reesesbookclub. No purchase necessary. U.S. only. See official rules in our link in bio.
To the Moon and Back by @ElianaRamage truly shows us that the stars are in reach! ⭐ Grab this exclusive version, including a letter to YOU, an extra chapter, discussion questions, book club insights, and even a conversation with the author at the link in our bio.
#ad The ultimate literary escape is calling ✨ 

We teamed up with World of @Hyatt and brought you an unforgettable bookish adventure with upscale accommodations, scenic views, campfire conversations, and more. Grab your book club and prepare for the dreamiest getaway. Head to our link in bio to book your trip now!
Loving this bookish insight from @MissJudyGreer! Books truly meet us where we are, and take us to where we've never been! 💙

This week on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club Podcast, we welcome the incomparable @MissJudyGreer! @DanielleRobay and Judy chat all things power of story, female friendships in media, the new Stephen King book-to-screen adaptation, and more!

Listen on the @iHeartPodcast App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen! 🎧

Photo courtesy of Gregory Russell.