Nic Stone

Last updated

Nic Stone
Nic Stone 2017 (cropped).jpg
Stone in 2017
Born (1985-07-10) July 10, 1985 (age 39)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater Spelman College
GenreFiction for young adult
Years active2017-present
Notable works Dear Martin
Website
nicstone.info

Andrea Nicole Livingstone (born July 10, 1985), known as Nic Stone, is an American author of young adult fiction and middle grade fiction, best known for her debut novel Dear Martin and her middle grade debut, Clean Getaway. Her novels have been translated into six languages.

Contents

Personal life

Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. [1] She has a degree in Psychology from Spelman College. She is African-American [2] and is openly bisexual. [3] After college, she worked in teen mentoring. She moved to Israel for a few years. [4]

Career

During a trip to Israel in 2008, Stone discovered that she wanted to become a writer when encountering a family with a story that fascinated her. [5] Stone wrote her first novel for young adults in 2017, inspired by American young adult novelist Veronica Roth's Divergent series because it was the first series featuring black characters that she encountered that live until the end. [5] That same book later landed her a literary agent. [5]

Dear Martin

Her debut novel Dear Martin, about a high school senior in a predominantly white school who starts writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after he has a dangerous encounter with racist police officers, was sold as a proposal in a two-book deal [6] and published in 2017 by Crown Books for Young Readers. Stone has stated she began writing her debut novel Dear Martin after the death of Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old black high school student who was fatally shot by a white man in a hate crime in 2012. [7] The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #4. [8] It was also chosen as a finalist for the William C. Morris award in 2017 [9] and received a starred review from Booklist. [10] It has been published and translated in Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, The Netherlands, UK, Turkey, and Romania. [11] Two years after it was first published, Dear Martin again hit the New York Times bestseller list, for Young Adult Paperbacks and at #1, in February 2020. [12]

A sequel, Dear Justyce, about an incarcerated teen who is on trial for murder charges, was published in October 2020. Stone says she was not planning on writing a sequel. but encouraged by her publisher, and decided to write a book about a "black boy that everybody is afraid of." [5]

A sequel, Dear Manny, set to be published in 2025.

Clean Getaway

Her Middle Grade debut, Clean Getaway, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, was published by Crown in January 2020. [13] It tells the story of an 11-year-old Scoob, who goes on a roadtrip with his grandmother. [14] It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly [15] and Booklist, [16] and debuted on the Children's Middle Grade Hardcover New York Times bestseller list, at #5. [17] Stone says the inspiration for the novel was a Twitter headline about a shoplifting grandma in Atlanta who turned out to be an international jewel thief. [14]

Other works

Her second young adult novel, Odd One Out, is about three queer teenagers of color in a love triangle and explores themes of gender, sexual fluidity and identity. [18] It was published in 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers. [19] [20] It also received a starred review from Booklist. [21] In 2019, her third novel, Jackpot, following a gas station clerk that she sold a winning lottery ticket to, was published by Crown. [5] Stone originally wrote the novel in 2015. [22]

In September 2019, it was announced that Stone would write a novel focused on Shuri, from Marvel's Black Panther. [23] It was published by Scholastic in 2020. [23] Two more books were published in the Shuri series in 2021 and 2022.

Stone wrote a young adult novel Blackout , released in June 2021, which she co-authored with Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. [24]

Aside from young adult fiction and middle grade, Stone also writes essays, and her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies.

Beginning in February 2022, Stone hosted a six-episode podcast series with Marvel and Sirius XM podcast. [25] [26] The podcast series was titled, The History of Marvel Comics: Black Panther. [25] [26]

Stone was the keynote speaker at the AASL National Conference in 2023. [27]

Bibliography

Young Adult fiction

Middle Grade fiction

Cowritten Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Hale</span> American author (born 1974)

Shannon Hale is an American author primarily of young adult fantasy, including the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy and The Goose Girl. Her first novel for adults, Austenland, was adapted into a film in 2013. She is a graduate of the University of Utah and the University of Montana. She has also co-written with her husband, Dean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nnedi Okorafor</span> Nigerian-American writer of science fiction and fantasy (born 1974)

Nnedimma Nkemdili "Nnedi" Okorafor is a Nigerian American writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. She is best known for her Binti Series and her novels Who Fears Death, Zahrah the Windseeker, Akata Witch, Akata Warrior, Lagoon and Remote Control. She has also written for comics and film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Maberry</span> American author (born 1958)

Jonathan Maberry is an American suspense author, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. He was named one of the Today's Top Ten Horror Writers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libba Bray</span> American writer (born 1964)

Martha Elizabeth "Libba" Bray is an American writer of young adult novels including the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Going Bovine, and The Diviners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Lyga</span> American writer

Barry Lyga is an American young adult novelist and short story writer. He lives in New York. Lyga majored in English at Yale receiving his BA in 1993. He then spent ten years working at Diamond Comic Distributors after having spent his teenage years immersed in comic books. During this period, Lyga had seen his short stories published. His book Archvillain was released in October 2013. and I Hunt Killers was released in March 2012.

Coe Booth is an American fiction writer. Her first novel, Tyrell, was released in 2006. It is written for young adolescents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvel Press</span> Prose novel imprint for Marvel Comics

Marvel Press is the prose novel imprint for Marvel Comics jointly published with Disney Books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuri (character)</span> Fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Black Panther / Aja-Adanna (Shuri) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Reginald Hudlin and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in Black Panther vol. 4 #2. Shuri is the princess of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. She is the daughter of T'Chaka and younger sister of T'Challa, who is the king of Wakanda and the Black Panther, an earned title and rank given to the paramount chief of the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angie Thomas</span> American author (born 1988)

Angie Thomas is an American young adult author, best known for writing The Hate U Give (2017). Her second young adult novel, On the Come Up, was released on February 25, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samira Ahmed (author)</span> American author

Samira Ahmed is an American author of young adult fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, best known for her New York Times best selling novels Love, Hate & Other Filters and Internment.

Brandy Colbert is an American author of young adult fiction and nonfiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kekla Magoon</span> American author (born 1980)

Kekla Magoon is an American author, best known for her NAACP Image Award-nominated young adult novel The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, The Season of Styx Malone, and X. In 2021, she received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her body of work. Her works also include middle grade novels, short stories, and historical, socio-political, and economy-related non-fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tochi Onyebuchi</span> American science fiction writer (born 1987)

Tochi Onyebuchi is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and former civil rights lawyer. His 2020 novella, Riot Baby, received an Alex Award from the American Library Association and the World Fantasy Award in 2021. He is known for incorporating civil rights and Afrofuturism into his stories and novels.

Dhonielle Clayton is an American author and chief operating officer of We Need Diverse Books. She has written multiple book series, including The Belles (2018-2023). She also collaborated with Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon to write Blackout (2021).

<i>You Should See Me in a Crown</i> (novel) 2020 young adult novel

You Should See Me in a Crown is a debut young adult novel by Leah Johnson, published by Scholastic in June 2020. The book was given a Stonewall Book honor, and TIME magazine named it one of the best 100 young adult books of all time.

<i>Dear Martin</i> 2016 young adult novel by Nic Stone

Dear Martin, published in 2018 by Crown Publishing Group, is an adult novel by Nic Stone. It is Stone's debut novel, written as a reaction to the murder of Jordan Davis. The book appeared as #4 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuri (Marvel Cinematic Universe)</span> Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Shuri is a fictional character portrayed primarily by Letitia Wright in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, also inspired by the James Bond character Q. She is the courageous and tech-savvy younger sister of T'Challa, and the daughter of T'Chaka and Ramonda, all preceding monarchs of Wakanda. Highly intelligent and a master engineer, she is Wakanda's lead scientist and the princess of the country. Following her father's death, Shuri assists her brother in reclaiming the Wakandan throne from their cousin N'Jadaka and then helps remove Bucky Barnes's programming. Later, she assists the Avengers by attempting to use her technology to safely remove the Mind Stone from Vision's head. However, she gets stopped by Corvus Glaive and shortly after, falls victim to the Blip. After getting restored to life, she joins the battle against an alternate Thanos. Following her brother and mother's death, she becomes the new Black Panther, defeating Namor in combat and forming an alliance with Talokan against the rest of the world.

<i>Blackout</i> (young adult novel) Young adult novel

Blackout is a young adult novel written by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. The book contains six interlinked stories about Black teen love during a power outage in New York City. The book was released on June 22, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leah Johnson (writer)</span> American writer

Leah Johnson is an American writer. Her debut novel You Should See Me in a Crown (2020) received critical acclaim, including a Stonewall Book Award Honor. She is the author of Rise to the Sun (2021) and Ellie Engle Saves Herself! (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roseanne A. Brown</span> Ghanaian American writer

Roseanne A. Brown is a Ghanaian American writer of fantasy, science fiction and young adult fiction. She is best known for her debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, which became a New York Times best seller, and its sequel, A Psalm of Storms and Silence.

References

  1. "Nic Stone Books, Author Biography, and Reading Level | Scholastic". www.scholastic.com. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  2. Stone, Nic. "This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Remember He Was Disobedient". Bustle. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  3. "Nic Stone keeps it real". ajc. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  4. "Bestselling Novel 'Dear Martin' Addresses Racial Profiling & Killings of Unarmed Black Teens". WritersDigest.com. October 23, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Nelson, George (February 20, 2019). "'Dear Martin' Author Shares Her Story With Students". Business Journal Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  6. Foley, Maddy. "How This Author Is Challenging The YA Status Quo With Her #BlackLivesMatter Novel". Bustle. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  7. Green, Adrienne (November 1, 2017). "The Teen Protagonist Writing Letters to Dr. King". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  8. "Young Adult Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - November 5, 2017 - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  9. "Morris Award". Young Adult Library Services Association. February 27, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  10. "booklist dear martin - Google Search". www.google.de. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  11. "DEAR MARTIN - The Deborah Harris Agency". www.thedeborahharrisagency.com. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  12. "Young Adult Paperback Books - Best Sellers - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  13. CLEAN GETAWAY | Kirkus Reviews.
  14. 1 2 "Crown Picks Up Nic Stone's Debut Middle Grade Novels". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  15. "Children's Book Review: Clean Getaway by Nic Stone, illus. by Dawud Anyabwile. Crown, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-984892-97-3". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  16. Clean Getaway, by Nic Stone.
  17. "Children's Middle Grade Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - Jan. 26, 2020 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  18. "Writing Tips & Insights from Author Nic Stone | WritersDigest.com". WritersDigest.com. June 2, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  19. "Children's Book Review: Odd One Out by Nic Stone. Crown, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-101-93953-6". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  20. ODD ONE OUT by Nic Stone | Kirkus Reviews.
  21. Odd One Out, by Nic Stone.
  22. "Nic Stone: How I Write". The Writer. January 23, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  23. 1 2 "Exclusive: An original 'Black Panther' novel centered on Shuri will publish next year". EW.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  24. Reich, Hannah (March 9, 2021). "Writing Black Lives Matter: Maxine Beneba Clarke and Angie Thomas on their latest books for children and young people". ABC News. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  25. 1 2 "Tune Into the First Episode of 'The History of Marvel Comics: Black Panther' Podcast". www.marvel.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Marvel's New Podcast Takes Fans Through the History of Black Panther". The Root. February 14, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  27. "Nic Stone to Keynote AASL National Conference General Session | ALA". www.ala.org. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  28. "Read an excerpt from 'Dear Martin' author Nic Stone's LGBTQ-themed 'Odd One Out'". EW.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  29. "Nic Stone Is Writing for Young People Who Don't Normally See Themselves in Fiction". Shondaland. October 2, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2024.