GOG Book Review of "Black Ink"

A unique aspect of the Go On Girl! Book Club is that we send a book review to our authors for each book we read.  It's always exciting to receive an author's response to our book review.  Just recently, we received a lovely response from Ms. Stephanie Stokes Oliver, the editor of our December 2019 selection, Black Ink. Below is an excerpt from Ms. Stokes Oliver's response:

"Thanks so much for sharing the thoughtful and comprehensive review of BLACK INK by the members of the prestigious Go On Girl! Book Club. It’s that kind of feedback from readers who are the target market and who understand and appreciate the purpose of the book that keeps an author inspired to continue publishing. 

 I was happy to know that the members would have liked for BLACK INK to be available in audiobook format. Me too! As some background: For an anthology like this one, an editor has to seek permission to reprint from elite writers, literary agencies, publishers, and estate administrators. The price of obtaining those rights to publish their work internationally in hardcover, paperback, and e-book was so prohibitively high, that there was no budget left to pay more for audio rights. In addition, because each essay of the book is written in first-person, some of the representatives needed to know before granting permission who would be chosen to speak their author’s words. For example, who would be the voice of Malcolm X? As his famous voice is so distinctive, I could understand that. If the book had been just one story, as in a memoir, it may not have been so complicated. But having 20 well-known and historical personalities to produce, with half still alive, seeking the audio permissions and costs became an insurmountable task. Hopefully, one day we may be able to revisit that format... So I appreciate that your members’ audiobook feedback [as it] lets me know that there is interest in dramatic rendering of the stories.

 It was an honor to have had BLACK INK chosen as one of your book club’s 2019 picks. Thanks again for taking the time to cull the chapter comments and to send them to me. All the best to the Go On Girl! Book Club!"

GOG thanks Ms. Stokes Oliver for this thoughtful response to our book review!