Meet the Authors

with Lakita Wilson & Brianna Peppins

Join us for a special evening with two incredible voices in Young Adult literature, Lakita Wilson and Brianna Peppins!

Lakita Wilson is the author of thought-provoking and heartfelt books including What Is Black Lives Matter?, Be Real, Macy Weaver, Sparkle, Last Chance Dance, and her newest release, Pretty Girl County. Brianna Peppins brings her own unique perspective to the genre with As Long As We’re Together and the Briarcliff Prep series, inspired by her experiences at Spelman College.

During this engaging panel discussion, the authors will share insights into their creative journeys, the inspiration behind their stories, and the importance of diverse voices in YA literature. Audience members will also have the opportunity to ask questions and connect directly with the authors.

Whether you’re an avid YA reader, an aspiring writer, or simply curious about today’s young adult fiction, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Select titles from each author will be available for purchase after the discussion, thanks to Mahogany Books.

About the Authors: 

Lakita Wilson is the author of several novels and nonfiction projects for children and young adults, including What Is Black Lives Matter? a part of the New York Times bestselling Who HQ Now series, the middle grade novels Be Real, Macy Weaver and Sparkle, and YA romance Last Chance Dance.

Lakita was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in Prince George's County, Maryland. A 2017 recipient of SCBWI's Emerging Voices Award, Lakita received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is currently on faculty at Prince George's Community College in the education department. Lakita lives in Prince George's County, Maryland, with her two children. She can be found online at lakitawilson.com.

Brianna Peppins was born in D.C. and raised in Upper Marlboro, Maryland by her parents. She has four siblings and has loved books for as long as she can remember. As a teen, when Brianna wasn’t obsessing over dystopian series like The Hunger Games or sobbing over stand-alones like The Fault in Our Stars, she could be found writing herself into B5 (an Atlanta-based R&B boy band) romance fanfiction.

Brianna attended primary and secondary school in Prince George’s County, MD and went on to attend Spelman College, in Atlanta, Ga. She graduated with a BA in Psychology (mental health concentration) in 2017 and shortly after began writing her debut novel, Briarcliff Prep.

When not writing, Brianna takes special interest in spending time with her loved ones, social justice issues (i.e. Intimate Partner Violence, Racial Injustice, Mental health), yoga, baking, embroidery, and is a self-proclaimed movie aficionado. You can find out more about her at her website.

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