Bestselling Author Pearl Cleage Does Book Reading at Stonecrest Library

Bestselling author and playwright Pearl Cleage christened the auditorium at the new Stonecrest Library in Lithonia on Wednesday evening by reading an excerpt from the her new novel, Just Wanna Testify. 

The story takes place in a utopian version of the West End neighborhood of Atlanta. It features Blue Hamilton, the “godfather” of the neighborhood, who is a character she has used in some of her other novels. Cleage explained why she chose this particular setting for her book: “The thing about the West End [neighborhood] is that everything you want to write about is there,” said Cleage.

Cleage, who has written several novels, shared that she added a bit of a twist to this book. “This book is different from the others for one reason—it has vampires in it”, said Cleage with a laugh. “Our country is fascinated with vampires. It’s funny to me that vampires are the new sex symbol. I thought to myself what if I took [five] beautiful vampires and dropped them into the West End,” said Cleage.

After briefly introducing the book, Cleage read a short segment from one of her chapters. The audience of approximately 75 people listened intently as her warm soulful voice filled the auditorium and captivated the attendees many of whom were loyal followers. Immediately following the reading there was a question and answer session. 

Cleage has written a number of fiction books, including her first novel What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, and shared about her life as a writer. 

“I’ve written all my life and I actually consider myself as a storyteller.  The wonderful thing about writing fiction is that you can make it exactly what you want it to be,” said Cleage. 

Cleage shared that her father, the Reverend Albert Cleage, was a radical Christian minister during the civil rights movement and the pastor of The Shrine of the Black Madonna Church in Detroit. “During that time I got to meet a lot of [great] writers,” said Cleage.

A hard copy of Cleage’s Just Wanna Testify can be purchased on Amazon.com for $15.95.

Cleage lives in Atlanta’s West End with husband Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. who is also a writer.

For information about other events at the Stonecrest Library, call 770.482.3828 or visit the library website at http://m.dekalblibrary.org.