Saturday Magic Co-Author Interview
Questions about Co-Authoring for Kenda Bell + Nyasha Williams
I interviewed my mother-in-love, Kenda Bell-Spruill, and myself as co-authors of our picture book, Saturday Magic. If you have ever wondered or considered co-authoring, this one’s for you.
How did the idea for Saturday Magic come about?
Kenda: My daughter-in-love and I share a love for BIPOC spiritual practices that have been the bedrock for many Black families, including our own. To share this through the eyes of a child, was such is such a great opportunity.
Nyasha: My mother-in-love, Kenda, and I wanted a story that showcased Black mystical and Ancestral practices in everyday life through families and communities. We reflected on our daily practices, rituals, and Hoodoo traditions, which told us that we wanted to carry the story and future Dayo adventures.
Saturday Magic is described as a Hoodoo story. Please expand on that description.
Kenda: I love how there is a resurgence of interest in Hoodoo practices. Many of the ways that Black people clean their homes, prepare meals, and heal our sick come from years of adapting African practices to American soil. Honoring those who have come before us is the centerpiece of this practice, and we understand we are intrinsically connected to our Ancestors and reverence their sacrifices and ingenuity.
Nyasha: Hoodoo is a rich and profound traditional African spiritual practice with deep roots that often intertwine with Black Christianity. This ancient tradition centers around herbalism, reverence for the earth, and establishing connections with both ancestors and spiritual entities. At its core, Hoodoo emphasizes the importance of honoring one's lineage and recognizing the inherent spiritual energies present in the natural world.
Originating as a means of survival, Hoodoo served as a vital method for preserving African cultures and traditions amidst deeply inhumane challenges. Over the years, Hoodoo has evolved while maintaining its distinct identity within the broader spectrum of African spiritual practices. It has found a nurturing environment within various communal settings such as Black churches, Black fraternities, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which historically provided safe spaces for practitioners to gather and preserve the secrecy surrounding rituals and practices.
Hoodoo continues to thrive and evolve today, transcending its historical boundaries and entering everyday practices within the home. As the community seeks to demystify and reconnect with African spiritual traditions, Hoodoo stands as a testament to resilience, cultural preservation, and the enduring power of spiritual connection across generations.
You both have published work for adults as well as children. How does writing for adults compare with writing for children? What is similar and different about the process for each?
Kenda: As an Essence bestselling author of adult fiction, believe it or not, this was more challenging. To be specific and creative is truly a gift. I am so thankful to Nyasha for including me in this project. It truly was a challenge, in a good way! Being able to tell the story through the assistance of pictures was fun.
Nyasha: Whenever I finish a piece of writing and share it with others to critique, I am always asked who this is for or what age group this is for. It is an area I struggle with. I always see much of my work as an ‘E for everyone’ situation, with each individual accessing my work in a different way. In a basic understanding, some gain an understanding of my message through the illustrations, others through the words, and some through both.
What do you hope readers will take away from your shared story?
Nyasha: Having people see similar, different, and mutual Black Ancestral practices in everyday practice, especially in visual literature. For those stepping into or practitioners of Ancestral Veneration to feel affirmed in their heritage and systems.
Were there any surprises for you in the illustrations as your words were being brought to life?
Kenda: The outdoor dining room. Our illustrator, Sawyer Cloud, did a wonderful job bringing that scene together with all the elements that we requested to make it both sweet and magical at the same time.
Nyasha: We expressed to Sawyer, the illustrator of Saturday Magic, that we wished to have Dayo’s best friend, Anaya, have two moms. I am obsessed that Sawyer put their wedding photo in one of the spreads within Anaya’s home.
What is your favorite spread in Saturday Magic?
Kenda: Dad cooking breakfast for the family. I love seeing men represented in all the roles they play in the family.
Nyasha: The family cleaning after breakfast is an important spread for me. It was important for both parents and Dayo to care for their home and space together. Camphor is a beautiful cleansing plant that plays a major role in my spiritual journey. It has a very distinct smell and energy.
How did you decide upon Sawyer Cloud as the illustrator?
Kenda: We went through a list of talented illustrators before we agreed upon Sawyer Cloud. Her work caught my eye, and Nyasha shared that she had worked with Sawyer on some of her projects. It was obvious she was the one for this book.
Nyasha: Sawyer Cloud caught my eye on Instagram. She has such a gorgeous, bright, and whimsical style that I visualized for a few of my book projects. Sawyer is the illustrator of Keep Dreaming, Black Child, Saturday Magic, and Once Upon a Kwanzaa, with me as the author and co-author.
What were non-negotiables for you both for the illustrations and as messages in and through the writing?
Kenda: We wanted the homes to be colorful and vibrant in ways that reflect their culture. We wanted to show a child that is raised to be curious and magical, that is a part of our culture, too.
Nyasha: I wanted both of Dayo’s parents to be present and interact with her throughout the story. We envisioned Anaya’s family home being Afrocentric. All characters needed beautiful Black hairstyles, especially natural hairstyles like Dayo’s Bantu knots.
Is there anything about the main character, Dayo, that you wanted to share but couldn’t fit into the book?
Kenda: Dayo is magical, and how her parents nurture that while still encouraging critical thinking.
Nyasha: Dayo has many Ancestral gifts that we hope to continue to share if the book continues as we envision it as a series. I definitely see my younger self in Dayo, visually and in spirit.
How and why did you start working with co-authors? What’s the driving force behind it?
Kenda: This is my first time doing a project such as this. When my daughter-in-love asked me to join her on this project, I had no idea how this story would blossom. Working as a team helped keep us both accountable and the project on track.
Nyasha: I stepped into co-authoring because I have so many ideas for creative projects, and often times I see others' passions, soul, and interests intersecting with projects, so I invite them to join if I see alignment. I love co-authoring because it deepens the level of richness of the creation through the intersections and lenses of the various creators combined. The accountability aspect of completing a project is a win, too.
Do you have any advice for authors about surviving rejections, managing success, or anything else?
Kenda: I became an Essence Bestseller with a small publishing company, I self-published a well-received journal for women, and now I am a published author with Running Press Kids. Keep writing. Never give up. Keep choosing your path each day. Your voice is necessary.
Nyasha: Don’t give up. If you have a vision of something that needs to be in the world, trust that, but be open to the understanding that the way it comes into the world may be different from what you expect or originally believe.
Can you share a bit about what’s coming next for you?
Kenda: I am looking forward to doing several book signings in the DMV area for Saturday Magic, beginning with Busboys & Poets in Columbia, MD, on Tues, Jun 11th.
I will make my appearance as a storyteller in the stage production “Ain’t Nuthin But A G Thang”: Black Women Genius at The Reginald F Lewis Museum in Baltimore, MD, on June 29th, 2024.
Nyasha: I have two books coming out this year. Kenda and I co-authored Saturday Magic coming out in about a month, and Where is Koketso?, a seek-and-find book I authored, coming out in October. Regular event-wise: I have Self-Care, a picture book club for adults that I head once a month at Petals & Pages in Denver. Quarterly, I have a seasonal event at Second Star to the Right honoring the season shift and an online workshop space, I host with Sidney McCall for BIPOC creatives called Decolonizing Dreams.
I have upcoming events for families and events for adults for the launch of Saturday Magic.
Saturday Magic Launch: Come make Grandma Rose’s Watermelon Salad (June 27, 2024) [Families]
Saturday Magic Storytime at Boulder Bookstore (July 06, 2024) [Adult-Focused but Anyone]
Saturday Magic Storytime at Tattered Cover (July 14, 2024) [Child-Focused]
Saturday Magic Ancestral Connect (July 12, 2024) [Adult Centered]
Saturday Magic: Cowrie Shell Mirror Making Workshop (July 27, 2024) [Anyone]
If you enjoy the creative interviews, there will be more to come.
Check out my posts on my website for an interview from the archives.
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