Meet Shanna Miles | Author, Librarian, Diverse Book Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanna Miles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanna, why did you pursue a creative career?
I didn’t. I could be cheesy and say that the creative life chose me, but I have the privilege of having two jobs. My day job is as a school librarian. I promote books, share books and take care of books for children and teens. And then my second job is as an author where I get to be really targeted about the messages I want conveyed and the feelings I want to elicit.

When I became a school librarian it was out of a desire to be a book ambassador. This was in 2010. At that time there were very few books on the shelves with Black main characters. I had to be the change I wanted to see in the world so I began to write books in my spare time. It was not easy and finding an agent and then finding a publisher wasn’t easy, but I found that writing made me more hopeful and purposeful. I can’t imagine not doing it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I write speculative fiction. It’s a strange term if you’re not in the book world, but it’s a blend of science fiction, fantasy and even horror on occasion. It’s the world we live in with a twist. Everything I write is going to have a little bit of something fantastical in it. Even if it’s an Auntie with a sixth sense. I do this because I come from people of faith and my faith still has a bit of mystery to it. I bring that cultural element to my work and I think that it makes my work unique. All of my books are set in sweet tea and biscuit country, hoodoo country, oxtail and ghost tale country. The South too often is looked at as a backwards or woefully racist place, but it is also the most densely populated place in terms of African Americans, the people descended from kidnapped Africans. We have created safe spaces, joyful spaces amongst the terrifying and it deserves to be celebrated.

My most recent book is the second in a middle grades fantasy duology, THE RISE OF ISSA IGWE. It was just named one of the Best Adventure Books of 2024 by Kirkus Reviews. Issa is twelve. She’s also a conduit, which means she’s often possessed by spirits. The African diaspora has quite a unique experience with possession. Exploring all aspects of that is something I think Black writers are very singularly qualified to do and if we haven’t heard every angle of that story then that means there is more to write, more to tell. Issa’s boarding school is also set on an old plantation which as one might suspect has ghosts. Some people have a romantic view of plantations, but for me it will always be a place for horror at the very least encounters with the unknown.

If people haven’t read a princess story, a dragon story or even just a romance from a BIPOC writer then there are aspects of storytelling that you’ve missed out on. The good thing is that everyday you can make the choice to broaden your reading horizons.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve actually thought about this a lot and I’ve lived all around Atlanta so here are my best recommendations.

For Breakfast:
Try Bread and Butterfly. Demetrius Brown has created a lovely little French inspired bistro in Inman Park and if the weather allows I suggest sitting on the patio and getting Green tea brought out in a french press. Add a bit of honey and get a pistachio croissant if you’re in a rush. It’s nutty and sweet and delicious. If you want savory, get the French omelette and greens with the pesto garnish. It’s the best omelette.

After that, if they want something fun to do I’d suggest heading over to the High Museum, right now they’ve got the Giants exhibit curated by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats, but they’ve always got something great on display. If they’re hear on a Friday I’d suggest trying to get tickets to First Fridays when the museum has a DJ and drinks and access to the all the exhibits in a much more date night friendly atmosphere.

If its Spring I’d suggest the botanical gardens.

For lunch, you can’t go wrong with a pie at Antico Pizza on Hemphill Avenue. I like the simple Margherita.

Because I’m a book lover, I’d also suggest an indie bookstore crawl starting with A Cappella Books on Haralson Avenue for a few used books and new Non-Fiction, then Brave & Kind and Little Shop of Stories, both in Decatur for children’s books and YA. If you’re lucky they might have an author talk or two you can pop into in the evening.

For an afternoon snack I’d suggest Jeni’s Ice Cream in the Decatur Square. They have seasonal flavors like Iced Molasses Gingerbread, but also the tried and true like Salty Caramel.

Finally, for Dinner, I’d go with Michelin rated Little Bear in Summerhill. It gives all the Southern flavors with world class technique.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wanna give a shout out to all the parents who read to their kids and take them to the library. That’s a gift that pays out over a lifetime and my Mom read to me, took me to the library and even spearheaded a tiny book club for me when I was little. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give her credit.

Website: https://www.shannamiles.net

Instagram: @srmilesauthor

Twitter: https://x.com/srmilesauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/srmilesauthor

Image Credits
Headshots by Tokie Rome-Taylor
https://www.tokietaylorstudio.com/