by J. Elle
I mumble the transport spell with the world watching, twist on the spot, and I’m gone.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
People see my life. The eroded buildings and cracked sidewalks.
To them I am the building, my life the concrete.
I’m not broken.
Don’t pity me.
They see the drugs, but not the dreams. The pain but not the joy.
The headlines paint a picture. A picture, incomplete.
Their eyes are half open. So much do they miss.
Bonds forged, beyond our blood, through struggle is the core of our richness.
See me as I am, not as you would have me be.
My hood is my home. Not my prison.
The springboard to my future. You see poverty. I see promise.
My story makes me strong. Resilient. Unshakable.
I’m a force to be reckoned with. A mountain that won’t be moved.
For I am the blood of the old gods, a Ghizoni queen.
I wear richness on my shoulders money can’t esteem.
My skin is the color of earth, and greatness pulses through my veins.
And yes, I come from poverty. But no, I’m not ashamed.
I am not who you say I am or who you say I will be.
My wounds are outshined by the radiance of my true identity.
One as bright or brighter than yours.
Not high or mighty, you say?
I say, watch.
And you’ll see.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I’d like thank God, without whom none of this would’ve been possible, for blessing me with so much more than I even dreamed.
And thank you to my husband for encouraging and supporting me to chase even my wildest dreams. For patience as I learn to juggle my many hats. For late-night taco runs, for celebratory chocolate, for supporting my deadline-induced ice cream obsession. For being utterly convinced—in this writing career thing—I’ve finally found my calling. Thank you, babe.
And thank you to my three little mini mes for loving me through the hard writing days. Letting me take time away from you that I can never get back to chase this dream. Thank you for such grace. You are my daily reminder I’ve so much to be grateful for. Momma-ing you taught me a new level of patience and I couldn’t have navigated this industry without it. Mariah, you remind me that love and kindness is the greatest gift we can give anyone. Daniel, you remind me to see sunshine in each day no matter how cloudy. Sarah, you remind me never to take time for granted. If this book was never a thing, my life was already full enough just with you three to love on. This author dream is just a cherry on top of an already gargantuan ice-cream sundae.
Huge thanks to my editor, Denene Millner, for seeing me. For believing in what this book could be. For giving this love letter to my community a platform, a place, a chance. I’m in awe of your editorial brilliance and the inspirational Black woman you are. And thank you to Justin, Alyza, Chloë, Taj Francis, who designed this dope cover, Shivana, Milena, and the entire S&S team for your support and the expert brilliance you put behind this project.
Thank you to my agent and birthday twin, Natalie Lakosil, for always believing even when I don’t, for letting me be a bundle of nerves and never complaining at my need to verbally process pretty much everything, lol. For patience and optimism that know no end. Thank you for the hours of phone calls and hundreds of e-mails. For Stone brussels sprouts and pancetta, for laughs, tears, for making this dream real.
To Paige and Naomi, who I wrote this book for. You always tell me you look up to me because I’m your big sis. But hear me, Boos. This is for you. It’s always been for you. Rise. Do. Achieve. You are magic and the world is at your fingertips. Take it.
And thank you to my number one STAN, my momma, who filled my childhood with imagination and nurtured my love of reading. For pushing me to believe I can do anything. That failure is a critical part of success. For insisting I will rise from any obstacle because it’s just who I am. I hope to even come close to all you see in me, Mommy. I love you.
To my grandma, who raised me to be a thinker, resourceful, and ambitious. For always reminding me to keep my priorities in line and never let fear be an excuse to not try. For insisting the only place my chin belongs—is up. You’ve always been an example of the woman I hoped to become. To my grandpa, my Ace, my Main Squeeze. For staying on your knees for me with fierce determination my entire life. For showing me grace lived out and being the coolest Gramps on the block. For always letting me sit on your lap no matter how old I get. To both my grandparents for being proud of me. That alone is worth more than anything any of this has given me.
To Rocqell, Roslyn, Aunty Regina, Uncle Chuck, Micah, Syd, my entire family that’s always believed I could do whatever I set my mind to.
Thank you to my OG BFF Jennifer for always riding with me, letting me drag you into my millions of wild ideas. For loving me despite my flaws and pushing me to be the woman, mother, writer, and friend I was created to be. You keep me grounded. I could not do any of this without you.
Thank you to Marquet for fiercely believing in each of my endeavors (no matter how random) through the torrent that is often life. For being unwaveringly sure I would soar as a writer before I’d even written a word of this book. You’re the carrots to my peas. The one riding in the lifeboat with me whenever there’s a storm. Love you to the ends of eternity.
And to Diarra, my ride or die, my Brooklyn Queen, the syrup on my sammich, the glue to my wig, thank you for inspiring me to be Piano-in-the-Desert-Extra unapologetically. You remind me to hold fast to joy and love and live like there’s no tomorrow. And to my sweet Alyssa, thank you for being a pillar of wisdom, a role model for my babies to look up to. For your heart that gives more than you take and touches every life you meet. I wrote this for you, boo. You are a queen.
Thank you to every CP and beta who took the time to read my very imperfect words and helped me make them shine. Thanks, Jessica F, for reading every word I’ve ever written. For the hours upon hours of Marco Polos and Facetime calls. For letting me cry to you, squeal to you, thank you. And thanks Brittany, my Birdie, for being a fiercely loyal CP and friend. For laboring with me, draft after draft. For knowing this story would make it when I didn’t. And Emily, thank you for loving Rue from the very start and seeing how powerful this story could be. For endless willingness to read again and again and again. For helping me learn and grow as a writer. And to Sarah, thank you for being there from the query trenches. For golden feedback and always believing I’d have an actual writing career when I’d only hoped to get this one book out. I’ll always cherish you and the window of time we shared. And to Del, thank you for always being #TeamJess but more importantly #TeamRue. You are a gift.
Thank you Jeff for seeing Rue in her earliest drafts and saying (and believing without a doubt), “This is the book that’s gonna make it, Jess.” Thank you Graci, my publishing twin and favorite Rick Riordian princess. It’s been a dream to have your talent in my corner. And an even bigger dream to call you friend. To Alechia, you taught me so much in those trepidatious querying and sub months. I will forever be grateful. Thank you Mary for seeing Rue and valuing her anger. For getting the necessity of this book. For fighting for girls like Rue. Thanks to Jessica L for always being there to gush and let me pick your genius editorial mind. I cherish our friendship. And thank you to Taj, who always knew Rue would make waves.
Thanks to Naz, Olivia, Tasha B, and Ryan for always being there to share advice, read, or let me vent. I’m so thankful for each of you. Thank you Beth Phelan for creating DVPIT. And thanks to the Female AOCs group for the constant hilarity and just being a safe space for a Black woman to exist on Twitter. Love y’all to the moon and back. Thank you to Mrs. Monock and her students at America’s School of Heroes and Mrs. Brown’s students at Vista Alternative HS for loving this book concept before it was a thing and working hard every day to fight for your dreams. Your tenacity and resilience rem
inds me why I write.
You inspire me!
Thank you to Nic Stone, my Slytherin twin, for pouring out wisdom on me time and time again. For helping me better understand how to survive in this industry and constantly reminding me what I’m worth. Your friendship is a priceless gift. Thank you for being the queen you are and helping pave the way so that books like mine even have a chance. And special thanks to Angie Thomas for helping create a space for stories like mine to exist. Thank you for pioneering, inspiring, leading with such joy and humility. You are a beacon.
Thank you to Clem, Michael, Bethany, Johan, Tiffany, and the entire I Hope U Die crew for being there from the very beginning. Thanks to my SubWarriors peeps and the best encouragers anyone could ask for: Tashie, Molly, Ana, Ayana, Alaysia, Heather, Kelis, Kris, Jasmyne, Sue Ellen, Jess S, Alexa D, Llama Mama—Cat, Sonora. Jessica O, Deborah, and Ciannon, it’s been an honor to debut with you queens. Thanks, DViants and YAY Squad for being my sounding board, a safe place to vent, shout, cry. I love all of you and can’t wait to hold your books too. Thanks to my Bradford Agency family. And thanks to my entire Twitter family for keeping me going every time I wanted to quit. For flooding my feed with hilarious gifs, for making my ice cream stress eating feel validated (looking at you, Sabaa), for laughs, for productivity, for constant encouragement. To Rue’s Crew and my Queen Squad, thank you for riding with me! Kris, Kel, Lisa, Steph, get ready, you’re next!
And extra special thanks to all the Diamonds I’ve met (and have yet to meet) along the way: my Cullen Bobcats, the young, Black Kings and Queens on their grind, the teachers putting in work every day like the ones who refused to give up on me, the endless number of hood Aunties, the community that loved, reared, and raised me… thank you for pouring into me, so I could pour out.
This is for us.
And George Floyd:
Rest easy, fam.
This is for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J. ELLE was born in Houston, Texas, and is a first-generation college student with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Human Development. An advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community, J. Elle’s passion for empowering youth dates back to her first career in education. She’s worked as a preschool director, middle school teacher, and high school creative writing mentor. In her spare time, she volunteers at an alternative school, provides feedback for aspiring writers, loves on her three littles, and cooks up dishes true to her Texas and Louisiana roots. Wings of Ebony is her first novel.
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www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/J-Elle
A Denene Miller Book
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Simon & Schuster, New York
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text © 2021 by J. Elle
Jacket illustration © 2021 by Taj Francis
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Jacket illustration © 2021 by Taj Francis
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Elle, J., author.
Title: Wings of ebony / J. Elle.
Description: First edition. | New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2021] | Series: Wings of ebony ; #1 | Audience: Ages 14+. | Audience: Grades 10-12. | Summary: Half-god, half-human Rue is snatched from her Houston home to Ghizon, a secret land of gods, by her estranged father, then must face an evil determined to steal everything from her. Identifiers: LCCN 2020009140 (print) | LCCN 2020009141 (eBook) | ISBN 9781534470675 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781534470699 (eBook)
Subjects: CYAC: Magic—Fiction. | Fathers and daughters—Fiction. | Gods—Fiction. | Sisters—Fiction. | Good and evil—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.E438 Win 2021 (print) | LCC PZ7.1.E438 (eBook) | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020009140
LC eBook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020009141