One word. Homecoming.

One word. Homecoming. Everyone that knows me knows that I'm obsessed with Beyonce. I just love her work ethic and that she commits 100% to whatever she does AND does it well. I saw online about her Netflix film and please believe, my break from work was re-living Beychella. Just the energy I needed for my day. I love that she dropped it around this years Coachella  - just to remind people how sick she was. But what I really love is how she is showing the world black culture and in it's best light. It just reminded me how far we've come but also how much harder we have to work to be seen in the best light. It just pushes me to do better.

Speaking of culture, there's a whole situation with UK YA authors and white authors trying to write stories using Black and Asian people's cultures. Listen it's 2019. How are people still confused about this? Stop trying to make money from other people's cultures! Black people have dealt with this for years but what I was really proud of was the young people coming up in publishing were the ones to speak out and say “Oh no!” One stupid lady had the cheek to say our stories are boring. I called her out on Twitter and told her to come and say that to my face. The problem isn't just the authors. It's these publishers who think they have an understanding about diversity but they don't and when you have people that all look the same as you making the decisions, you're going to miss when something is inappropriate. Everyone is doing the most right now and just need to get educated. The joke is, it isn't hard. Not your culture, don't try and make money of it. Simple right?

My pitch bible is almost done! Been working on this since December so to see the light at the end of the tunnel makes my heart feel so full! Look at my gorgeous Emily drawn by Chocolate City Comics, who are just awesome. So excited that I'll be able to meet with producers soon. 

I had my Girls Can Do Anything Throw Away The Rule Book Panel last week with Patrice Lawrence, Jazzmine Breary, Alexandra Shepphard, Alison Coward and Tola Okogwu. Loved it. Sometimes I just need to be around strong women that look like me, going through the same bullshit as me in this very odd publishing world and we just need to vent. So many conversations are happening around us, about us and it was time to educate people on what we really thought. No better feeling. We were speaking about all the things that started kicking off on Twitter. I swear people should pay us to educate them!

I saw Michelle Obama! I got Helen tickets for Christmas and we saw her at the O2. By far the biggest book event I have ever been to with 15,000 people. She is such a queen. Real and so funny and it just showed me that it doesn't matter what platform God puts you on, you can still be that girl from Stoke Newington with no apologies.
I loved when she said that they moved from the South side of Chicago, straight to The White House and she made the staff change

clothes because most of them were Black and they wore suits. She didn't want her daughters thinking that Black people were here to serve them and had to dress like that. Love her. I can't believe she's visited my old secondary school twice now. Kmt.

There's something in my spirit that feels like something BIG is going to happen, but a good big. I don't know what it is but I can't shake the feeling.

Game of Thrones is BACK! Everything about it was so perfect. I watched it twice just to make sure I caught everything. I really don't believe that Cersi is pregnant. You can't trust that lady! Literally can't wait till she dies.

Went to the O2 well the O3 seeing as they changed it for Drake. I really wanted to see him in concert. I've lost count the amount of times I've seen him but he is sooo good live. His tickets were dumb like £150 prices but Anneliese found tickets for £80 so she brought them. Not gonna lie I was concerned about where the seats would be but the seats were AMAZING!! Yes for my life. Every night he brought out a different artist. Anneliese got Future and Giggs. Who even knew Future was in London?! J Hus came out a few days prior to my show. I love J Hus but I got Wizkid! Wave the green, white, green! But the last night apparently everyone came out including J Cole. Damn it. His staging was really cool.

The Author School Day was amazing as usual! More info here!
We're doing another social media class for authors for just £18 on May 20th and an In Conversation with three amazing authors - Helen Matthews, Phoebe Morgan and Katharine Johnson that write crime, thriller and suspense novels with strong female leads for just £8 with a book.

Can you believe my baby Hashtag Press is 2 years old. Where did the time go? We've been celebrating all month with lots of giveaways and discounts. It's still one of the hardest things I've ever done but at times like this when publishers just seem so clueless, it makes me proud that I can make some form of difference.

Connect with me in Twitter land @EmilyKnightiam
and the Gram @abiolabello