Hello fall…let’s get cozy
Welcome and thank you to our newest friends who recently signed up for our newsletter or started following us on the socials. We’re so close to a milestone number of followers on Instagram—we take none of it for granted.
Our second novel, Why Not Us?, will be released November 11, 2025 and we wanted you to see the cover first. Also, click here for a reduced pre-order price on the ebook October 28 through November 10, 2025.
Jasmine and T have a lot to learn about love, loss, and the importance of family.
When Jasmine's best friend, Leslie, is diagnosed with cancer, there's no other place to run but straight into the chaos—holding Leslie's hand through doctor's appointments, rounds of treatment, and every uncertain moment. But T, Jasmine's longtime girlfriend, is unsure of how to stay connected when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Then there's Portia, Leslie's nine-year-old daughter, who’s growing up in the shadow of her mother's illness. Jasmine has promised to protect her like her own, but it's harder than she imagined. Along the way, Jasmine and T's couple time gets overshadowed by a whirlwind of after-school activities and family drama that threatens to engulf their relationship.
As the challenges mount, Jasmine and T must confront their own insecurities and learn what partnership truly means. Can their love survive the harsh realities of caregiving, sacrifice, and the weight of it all?
We’re excited and we need a little joy right now so we hope you’ll join us Friday, November 14 from 5-7pm at Zora’s Den 3100 Greenmount Avenue for the launch party. We’ll have books, we’ll sign books, we’ll do a short reading, and we will give a few gifts away. We hope you can make it.
The next few weeks will be a whirlwind of activity, refreshing the website, getting new headshots, and working on promo material to let the world know about our latest labor of love. We’ll reintroduce you to Jasmine, T, and their friends as well as new characters. Feel free to catch up with them and see what’s ahead for Jasmine’s friend, Leslie, through our Book Funnel links…THIS: A Simple, Complex Love Story Bonus Chapter and Why Not Us? Prequel.
If you would like to be a part of our “street team,” the folks that offer reviews around the release date and receive an advanced reader copy (ARC), we’d love your support. Please reach out and let us know if you’re interested.
And finally…
We have a few guest interviews scheduled with Felice Cohen of Sapphic Lit Pop-Up Bookstore on October 8 and Nicole Young-Martin of Black Writers Read on October 26 to help us get the word out about the upcoming release.
We’re grateful for your patience and encouragement in bringing our second book to life.
Big hugs!
Naomi + Rivers
ZORA’S DEN!
Zora’s Den is a Charm City Cultural Cultivation program that offers a warm, inviting atmosphere with soft lighting and a laid back vibe. It’s the perfect, cozy space where storytelling comes alive.
