Author Sharon G. Flake is wrapping up a series that’s been more than 25 years in the making. I recently spoke to her about The Family I’m In.
Tell me about your latest book.
The Family I’m In is the final book in the I‘m In trilogy, which began over 25 years ago with my ground-breaking novel, The Skin I’m In. My latest book delves into the relationship between two young men with caring fathers, who each wrestles with what it means to be young men today living in the shadows of their dads.
John-John’s father, the neighborhood hero, would prefer his teenage son to be more “manly.” John-John’s focus is on archery, getting a girlfriend and being kissed for the first time. With summer approaching, he is determined not to let others define and limit him, and that includes his father. Caleb, who loved Maleeka in The Skin I’m In, is close friends with John-John in this novel. With an ailing father that he admires, Caleb decides to step into his dad’s shoes and become the man of the house. Working long hours, budgeting and paying bills, he begins to see his father in a different light. Both boys, self-defined nerds, depend on one another’s friendship to work through their relationships with their dads. Each boy’s father is also an integral part of the other young man’s life. I am already hearing great things about the book from readers, including men who work with boys or have sons of their own.
Why did you decide to write it?
Twenty-five years ago, I took pen to paper and began to write The Skin I’m In, a story about colorism and loving yourself just as you are. A best-seller, with more than a million copies in print, The Skin I’m In has a loyal fanbase that spans continents and generations. Maleeka, the protagonist, is beloved, and so are her peers from the book. That is also why three years ago, I wrote the second book in the series called, The Life I’m In. Charlese, a former bully, makes for a compelling storyteller in this novel. Some readers stayed up all night delving into her story, which includes human trafficking, second chances and forgiveness. Readers can’t get enough of these characters. Many grew up with them. Some have just met them a few years ago. But, they all say the same thing: the I’m In characters shaped their younger years, playing a pivotal role in helping them understand themselves better, find their voices, and learn to value reading and storytelling as never before. In The Family I’m In, the last book in the series, I answer all the questions readers have had for years.
Who is your favorite character and why?
In this book, John-John is my favorite. He wears his heart on his sleeve and opens up about a host of things, including what it feels like to lose at love, colorism and the changing expectations of boy’s in today society. He is funny and says the darndest things. He is also a nerd, a character trait we do not see often in Black boys in literature. John-John, along with Charlese and Maleeka and Caleb, have grown by leaps and bounds from the first novel–The Skin I’m In–to
The Family I’m In, and so have their fanbase. I think readers appreciate characters who transition through life just as they do.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
I grew up in a family of readers. They read multiple newspapers and magazines a day. I would borrow books from the library, so that was more my thing. But I think I really fell in love with the written word once I began to write poems and short stories in college.
If you could pick another profession, what would it be and why?
I would probably be a therapist. I love to analyze people and situations.
What author would you fangirl over?
Langston Hughes and Lorraine Hansberry, for sure. I grew up reading their work. They both captivated me with the lyrical and unapologetic way they wrote and told stories.
What books have you read lately and loved?
I finally got around to reading Isabel Wilkinson’s book, The Warmth of Other Suns. It was incredible, powerful. I also recently reread Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felix—a must read. It’s short, powerful, lyrical, and has a unique slant when it comes to dealing with mental health.
What books are you most excited to read next?
I have bookshelves full of books I want to read. I cannot read other people’s work while I am writing, which accounts for the backlog.
What’s next for you?
Currently I am on tour with The Family I’m In. I am also completing my second middle grade novel in verse, Hattie Mae Begins Again, a story about a girl who comes North in 1938 to attend a private school for girls in Philadelphia. Hattie’s story is a follow-up to Once in a Blue Moon, which was recognized for excellence in storytelling about rural America. Look out for it.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
I think I’ve talked enough.
Use the Black Fiction Addiction link to purchase your copy of The Family I’m In.
To learn more about author Sharon G. Flake, visit her website or connect with her on social media.
Website: sharongflake.com
Instagram: @flakesharon
TikTok: @sharongflake
Facebook: Facebook.com/sharonflake