This is a book that really stands out, with story after story of black girls and women being strong. They battle with their faith, the unknown, racism, relationships, and their families. Most of all, they battle with who they are.

Some of the girls are young, between 7-9. In "Up North," the narrator, Savannah, says that she moved right before fifth grade (21). It focuses on a summer she spent with her mom up in Philadelphia, and, through out the summer, we watch her form a friendship with a little girl named Cindy. The girls, especially Cindy, are carefree and happy. 

I knew I wanted my dessert to be light and fluffy to represent the innocence of childhood.

Since most of the characters were from the south, I decided to make biscuits: a southern staple.

But I didn't want to make classic biscuits.... I wanted to be sure they would be light. I wanted them to really grow in the oven, just like Savannah grew that summer. So I added yeast.

I felt like it needed more. I wanted to make a trip to the grocery store (sober, though)  because that was my favorite story in the collection. I wanted to add some kind of chocolate, so I picked up a jar of knock-off Nutella (it isn't as hazelnut-y and I knew I still wanted to add another flavor). It reminded me of the part in "The Grocery Store" that says, "He stares at your dark brown legs that are trying to hide beneath your mini chiffon night slip. You wonder if he thinks you'll melt in his mouth" (50).

Finally, I wanted to use a sweet orange marmalade. Not only because orange goes beautifully with chocolate, but because the book is covered in shades of orange—from the cover to the vanity pages.

Orange marmalade reminds me of when I was younger, too, sitting in various diners and playing with all of the squares of individually wrapped spreads on the tables.

Zakiah agreed to answer a few of my questions—

M:  So, what was your process like?

ZB:  My process was super transformative. At first it was very intimidating. I was very nervous and my anxiety got in the way. However, I realized that I was too deep into the process to turn back, so I had no choice but to bring out my creative alter ego (Zyoncé) and write the best book I possibly could. 

M:  Did Zyoncé have a story, or another aspect of the book, that she struggled with more than others?

ZB:  Absolutely! "Up North" was the story I struggled with the most, because the summer before our final year in the program, I had just learned to conquer the art of dialogue. The story also took place in the early '60's, so I had to pair dialogue with some research to make the story as believable as possible. I focused heavily on African American vernacular during that time. The story is my favorite because I was able to really delve into events that would've taken place during that time period, and I became really attached to my characters.

M:  Did you enjoy the research, or was it something that you knew you had to do to make the story as amazing as possible?

ZB:  A little of both actually. I found doing research enjoyable because I was able to learn so much more about African American history. Then I was able to take what I had learned, and place those true events into my story. My goal was to make the story feel as real as possible to my readers.

M:  You definitely succeeded! Is African American history something you're going to write about more, or has it always been something you've explored?

ZB:  African American history is definitely my main focus when it comes to my writing because I know it so well. So maybe it's not the most challenging approach to writing, but, for me, it's the best approach. I've always written through the eyes of A.A. characters, and I plan to continue this way.

M:  Are you working on anything right now?

ZB:  I am! I'm actually working on a few different short stories at the moment. Some new, and some old. I'm also taking one of the stories from "To Be Her," and I'm turning it into a novel!

M:  Are we allowed to know which one, or will we have to wait and see?

ZB:  Okay. So, between you and me and your blog readers, I'm planning on taking "Up North" to the next level.

M:  I was hoping you'd say that! Since we're going to have to wait a little while for that, are you still selling "To Be Her," to tide us all over?

ZB:  Yes! I actually sold a few copies just last week, and my website is still up and running. It's zakiahbaker.com

Light and Fluffy Biscuits

-4 c  all-purpose flour

-2 tbsp  baking powder

-1 tsp  baking soda

-2 tsp  salt

-1 packet  instant yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)

-2 tbsp  white sugar

-10 tbsp  unsalted butter, cold

-1 1/4 c  buttermilk

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Create a little well in the center of the flour mixture.

3. Using a cheese grater, shred your butter into the well.

4. Gently stir the butter into the dry ingredients.

5. Slowly, add your buttermilk. You may not need all of it, so add a little at a time. If you need more, you can add it. The dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl, but it shouldn't be too sticky to touch.

6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.

7. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, then, gently, flatten it into a rectangular shape (about an inch thick).

8. Fold the dough in half, then flatten it back out. The key to this whole part is to be gentle. If you aren't, you'll over-work the dough, and the biscuits won't be flaky. They'll still be light, but the won't be as fluffy as they could be.

9. Repeat step 8 four more times.

10. Press the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.

11. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out the biscuits. You want to try to get as many out as possible, so you should be cutting them really close to each other.

12. Fold up the scraps of dough, then shape it back into a rectangle.

13. Cut out more biscuits, repeating the process until all of the dough is used.

14. Place the biscuits on a lined cookie sheet.

       15. Cover them with a damp towel, and let them sit somewhere warm for 45-60 minutes. The dough should be doubled in size.

        16. Bake them at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

        17. Remove the tray from the oven, and let them cool a little bit.

I prefer the biscuits a little warm when I spread the chocolate and orange marmalade on them. It makes the chocolate a bit gooier, and it's just better. Warm biscuits are the best biscuits. Everyone knows that. 

You can use a knife to cut the biscuit open, but that just seems a bit excessive. I typically use my thumbs to pull the top off, gently working my way around the whole biscuit, before the top just falls off. Then I spread the chocolate down and spoon some of the marmalade on top.