More often than not, YA books depict Black boys as the victims of hate crimes, a side character, or even not at all. What they don’t show are their hobbies, their quirks, their feelings—and that’s what Black Boy Joy is all about. It’s about being a part of the conversation on why it’s important to change the narrative for Black boys, especially in today’s world. We’d like you to meet Justin A. Reynolds—one of the men in YA working to reclaim Black Boy Joy.
Get to Know Justin A. Reynolds
AND LEARN MORE ABOUT BLACK BOY JOY
1. Describe your book in a sentence.
Through humor and heart, two black teen boys forge a bond that even Death can’t break.
2. What does Black Boy Joy mean to you?
Black Boy Joy is to be happy, whole, and vulnerable despite the myriad reasons we have to be none of the above.
3. Tell us something about yourself that’s unexpected.
As a teen, I was in a local boy band called JET. We mostly sang R&B and pop. We should’ve been huge, except we were only slightly-above-average singers, and I can’t dance because my shoulders are far too rigid.
4. Who is a fictional character that you relate to?
Is it cheating to name a character in my own book? Because I have to say Jack in Opposite of Always, because he and I definitely relate, which is to say I’m awkward and corny.
So, am I allowed to choose him? Welp, I guess I just did, haha.
5. Who would you cast as your main character in a TV/movie adaptation?
There a few actors who I believe would capture Jack’s spirit quite well, but I’d ultimately go with Marcus Scribner from Blackish. He seems like the perfect blend of occasionally-awkward, exceptionally-earnest, and hella-genuine—qualities that are the very essence of Jack. Except Marcus is a lot cooler and clearly a better dresser, haha.
6. Who would you cast to play yourself?
Hmm, well, naturally we’d need to cobble together several actors to play moi, but for the sake of brevity I’ll say Taye Diggs or maybe Sterling K. Brown. I can’t go wrong with either.
7. What do you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope Early Departures reminds us all that there is always light and hope at the tunnel’s end.
8. What do you want to see more of in stories with Black characters?
I want to see more love and more hilarity.
9. What do you do to relax between writing books?
When am I not writing books? Wait, is there supposed to be time I’m not writing books??
10. What brings you joy?
Reading is always the never-fail way I refill my emotional and creative tank. But nothing compares to spending time with close family and friends.
Quick Hits for ‘Early Departures’
- Start Reading: This Early Departures Sneak Peek Will Hit You Right in the Feels
- Read More about Justin’s Inspiration: “This Story Exists Because I Can’t Let My Friend Go”
- About Justin’s Signature Genre: 11 Books That Prove Speculative Fiction is the Best Genre
About ‘Early Departures’
What if you could bring your best friend back to life—but only for a short time?
Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die . . . again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.
But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth?
Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life—and beyond.
