"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
Welcome to the wonderful world of Alana; thanks for stopping by.
Here you'll learn about this journalist turned children's book author, who does a little bit of...a lot.
Before picture books, Alana protected national security as an Intelligence Officer & she's here to share her story with YOU. Welcome aboard!
In The Mix
First Time For Everything
Here I am at my first ALA book signing of My Red, White, and Blue. It was also my first time meeting the book's amazing illustrator London Ladd (right). Author's K.E. Lewis (Never Take Your Rhino on a Plane) and Victoria Scott-Miller (At Night They Danced) showed up for selfies & made my entire day!
Promoting childhood literacy
School visits are my absolute favorite part of this journey. My sons are why I started writing picture books, so having children react to my stories all while knowing I'm contributing to early literacy is the sweetest joy.
PB Rising Stars Mentor
I volunteered as a 2024 PBRisingStars mentor. The one-of-a-kind mentorship program pairs new picture book authors & illustrators with those who are already published and agented, for a 3-month long customized learning experience. Best of all, it's 100% free & driven by pure passion!
Ebony Magazine Feature
Check out the interview where I discuss my debut picture book, My Red, White and Blue and why the book was necessary not just for children of color, but for ALL children.
Blog Feature
Black Children's Books and Authors (BCBA) promotes awareness of children’s and young adult literature by Black authors. The "Our Stories Matter" blog spotlights debut authors via interview. Click the image to check out mine.
Member Since 2023
The Authors Guild advocates for the rights of writers by supporting free speech, fair contracts, and copyright. They create community and fight for a living wages for literary artists. If you'r not a member, at least go check them out.
Member Since 2015
My first SCBWI conference was in Princeton, NJ and I immediately knew I'd found my tribe! SCBWI's been an instrumental part of my journey as a children's writer. It's amazing what you can accomplish just by showing up, listening, and applying feedback.
BlackCreatorsHeadquarters
I'm one of the original acting members of this professional org that started on Twitter in 2020 during the pandemic by award-winning author, Antwan Eady. While he's passed the baton, its mission remains the same, providing resources, access, and community to Black voices in all aspects of publishing.
SCBWI Contributing Curator
Because it's always important to serve in this space, I once curated for the Mid-Atlantic region's 2019 quarterly newsletter, The Highlighter.
Proud Partners
