Author: J.D. Myall

J.D. Myall is the co-chair of Drexel University's MFA Alumni Association and host of the Craft Chat Chronicles podcast, where she interviews authors and publishing professionals. Her work has appeared in Ms., Writer’s Digest and HuffPost. Her debut novel, Heart's Gambit, releases in winter 2026. When she’s not conjuring magic, murder and mayhem, she mentors writers through workshops at www.jdmyall.com.

Hip-Hop Icon Roxanne Shanté Gets Her Long-Overdue Grammy Moment

Roxanne Shanté made history once as the first solo female MC in hip-hop, and now she has made history again. On Feb. 1, 2025, the Recording Academy honored her with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, making her the first solo female rapper to receive this recognition. She received the award at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, just one day before the official Grammy Awards.

As she reflected on receiving one of the most prestigious honors in music, Shanté opened up about her career, her impact and her ongoing mission to support at-risk youth in this exclusive interview.

Defending Diverse Voices: Four Best-Selling Authors Talk Banned Books

The issue of book banning has resurfaced with renewed vigor. We must resist attempts to suppress books written by Black authors and diverse voices. Ms. spoke with Tiffany D. Jackson, Kimberly L. Jones, Jason Mott and Nicola Yoon—national award-winning authors—about the impact of book banning on both authors and society.

“Banning books will not make racial complexities and the world’s complexities disappear; instead, it erodes compassion and understanding.”

“Books nurture empathy in kids who are reading about people who don’t look like them. They build understanding.”

How “Tiny Pretty Things” Writer Dhonielle Clayton Is Bringing More Diversity to Publishing

How "Tiny Pretty Things" Writer Dhonielle Clayton Is Pushing for Diversity in Publishing

Dhonielle Clayton is at the center of the push for increased racial diversity in children’s and YA fantasy books.

“As a child, a lot of the books I loved reading had no one who looked like me as a lead in those stories. I wanted to change that. As a librarian in Harlem, I was struck by how few books we had that reflected our students. I was a teacher and lover of books; I wanted kids of color to have the chance to go to magic schools and save the world.”

I Didn’t Know

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Ms. Blog will be publishing a series of posts detailing the impact of domestic violence, including personal essays and more, throughout the month. The moment I knew I had to escape. It was 3 am. I gripped the cool steering wheel with trembling fingers and white knuckles. “Mommy I’m hungry.” My […]