First published 2025
Terry McMillan opens her literary vault to share pieces that span her entire writing career. This collection brings together published stories and essays alongside works that have never seen print. McMillan writes about the complexities of love, the realities of growing older, and the cultural moments that shaped her perspective. She shares the origins of her writing life and reveals what drives her creativity. Some stories remain unfinished, offering glimpses into her creative process. Her magazine articles and opinion pieces show her engaging with the world beyond fiction. A commencement speech and book lecture demonstrate her voice as a public intellectual. Throughout every piece, McMillan maintains the humor and boldness that made her a bestselling author. The collection reveals both her evolution as a writer and the consistent themes that have anchored her work for decades.
Genres: collections, american-fiction, african-american, contemporary, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unfinished-work
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books