Author Archives: Gail Upchurch

My colleague and friend Bernetta Parson interviewed me for the December 6, 2021 Rise for Racial Justice Podcast, and I cannot be more thrilled. I got a chance to talk about the importance of YA lit for Black children, how I began writing YA, and what I’m reading currently. Please check it out!

It’s simply miraculous that anyone would sit and even read a story I’ve written, much less think it’s worthy of a prize. That’s what happened this month, and I’m so grateful and humbled. Thanks to judge Samuel Kọ́láwọlé who had these nice words to say about my story “America the Beautiful”: “America the Beautiful” is moreContinue reading “I Won the Tupelo Quarterly Prose Open Prize!”

I have a story in the Spring 2021 issue of The Missouri Review titled “The Burning,” and I’m loving every minute of it. You know, it’s hard getting published in curated literary journals. So many stars have to align— an editor has to make a case for why your story should be included. Many thanksContinue reading ““The Burning””

(The following has a few spoilers:) This show gutted me. The final scene, episode 10, Connell and Marianne sit on the floor in her house in fictitious Carriklea. Connell has an opportunity to go to grad school for creative writing in New York City. Wait, tears are forming in my eyes right now just thinkingContinue reading “Normal People”

My friend Candice Hamilton died of Multiple Sclerosis last May, but I just found out two days ago. I knew that her health had taken a major downward turn in the last year or so. She’d had to move back in with her parents after all these years of independence. I checked in on herContinue reading “In Loving Memory: Candice Y. Hamilton”

And boy am I happy I did. Where have I been living? Under a rock? How did I not know Boardwalk Empire is the answer to a lot of my problems. At this point, I should say that this is not a full review of the series at all. I’ve been watching it for theContinue reading “I Binged Boardwalk Empire”

Hello, ya’ll. I was about to call this a film review, but it’s not that exactly. This is more of a film rant. Don’t say I never warned you. Okay so let me get to it. A few spoilers ahead. I wanted so badly to fall in love with this film. But I didn’t. IContinue reading “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom:Just Saying”

I’m not going to pretend. I was really looking forward to jumping all in 2021 with both feet and wash a little of the 2020 muck off me. Unlike many people, I never believed that things were going to miraculously turn around in 2021. America’s got some work to do, right? But, whoa. When IContinue reading “Hello 2021”

Okay, real talk, ya’ll. I always figured that once you write a novel, subsequent novels would just pour out of you like lava. I thought you would just automatically know what to do, how to draw real, lived-in worlds and compelling characters and killer dialogue. Not so. Last night I stared down my empty screen likeContinue reading “Get. It. Done!”

What am I going to do about dinner? This is the constant question in my house. And since I’m not the best in the areas of cleaning or doing laundry, feeding the people who live with me is my thing. And, in general, I’m good at it. But . . . I am also aContinue reading “The Pesky Dinner Situation”