This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a beloved actress becomes a storyteller of forgotten Black history? Karyn Parsons — yes, the Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — joins us to talk about her powerful historical fiction for young readers, her nonprofit Sweet Blackberry, and why books like hers matter more in 2026 than ever. In this episode, we dig into Blue Beach, a YA murder mystery set on a segregated Black beach in 1929 that is equal parts page-turning thriller and gut-punch history lesson. We also talk about Clouds Over California, Karyn's middle grade novel set in the 1970s that reframes the story of the Black Panthers. Whether you're a longtime reader of YA or someone who thinks "that's not for me" — this conversation will change your mind. Adults: these books are absolutely for you. Plus: Karyn shares what she's been reading lately, including a deeply unsettling thriller about smell, murder, and obsession, a darkly funny book that involves... cannibalism (?!), and why Kindred by Octavia Butler is a required read for every human. 📚 Books MentionedBlue Beach by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | YA Historical Fiction / Mystery | Set in 1929 on a segregated Black beach; a murder mystery with powerful themes of race, community, and colorism Clouds Over California by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | Middle Grade Historical Fiction | 1970s California; reframes the Black Panthers through the eyes of a young Black girl Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind — Buy on Amazon | Literary Thriller | A man with a preternatural sense of smell pursues an obsession with devastating consequences — dark, rich, and unforgettable Kindred by Octavia Butler — Buy on Amazon | Speculative/Historical Fiction | A modern Black woman is pulled back in time to the antebellum South — a masterclass in writing and a required read A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers — Buy on Amazon | Dark Satire / Literary Fiction | A witty, darkly funny novel about a food critic with a very particular appetite — not for the faint of heart (cannibalism warning, delivered with humor) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 1 of the ACOTAR series A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 2 — where the series truly takes off Pet Sematary by Stephen King — Buy on Amazon | Horror | A meditation on mortality and grief as much as a horror novel — deeply unsettling Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger — Buy on Amazon | Horror / Dark Fiction | Female rage, perimenopause, and werewolves — Laura's current read ⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & intro — Karyn Parsons, aka Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air [01:00] How Karyn became a historical fiction author and the origin of Sweet Blackberry nonprofit [04:00] Why she writes truthfully — empathy, history, and what literature can do [05:00] Blue Beach — the real story of Bruce's Beach that inspired the novel [07:00] Growing up in Santa Monica on a beach that had been segregated — and not knowing it [10:00] Elevator pitch for Blue Beach: the setup, the murder, the stakes [12:00] Colorism, community, and the paper bag test in the story [13:00] Clouds Over California — reframing the Black Panthers for middle grade readers [16:00] The parallels between the 1970s, Black Lives Matter, and today [18:00] Karyn's reading life: what she reaches for and why [19:00] Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — obsession, scent, and murder [22:00] Pet Sematary and revisiting Stephen King; Misery memory [24:00] Kindred by Octavia Butler — why it's a masterclass and a required read [27:00] A rec for A Court of Thorns and Roses and the ACOTAR series [28:00] Femme Feral — female rage, perimenopause, and horror as a new genre for Laura [29:00] A Certain Hunger — a darkly funny, very specific rec (you'll know when you hear it) [31:00] Where to find Karyn online and info about Sweet Blackberry Join the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next Subscribe & leave a review!
