The Alabama Writers’ Forum
The Alabama Writers’ Forum, a partnership program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, works to cultivate our state’s literary culture. We do that through supporting writers at all stages. We encourage our young writers to find their creative voice through the Father Goose Poetry Festival for Kids!–and through our Alabama High School Literary Arts Awards. We support the work of our state’s literary community through our Alabama Authors Directory, First Draft magazine, and other programming and opportunities for writers across the state. And we celebrate our state’s rich literary legacy through the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. We are, above all, a community of writers united by our desire to advance the literary arts in Alabama. If that describes you — join us! There are many ways to get involved.
Junie
Junie By Erin Crosby Eckstine Ballantine Books, 2025 Hardcover: $30.00 Genre: Historical Fiction /Coming of Age/Magical Realism Reviewed by Dr. Candice N. Hale As William Faulkner reminds us, “The past is never dead. It's not even past.” His enduring truth reverberates throughout Erin Crosby Eckstine’s powerful debut novel, Junie, urging readers to open themselves up to both unlearning and understanding. From Eckstine’s compelling storytelling, we learn how sixteen-year-old Junie navigates trauma, grief, and loss during her enslavement in pre-Civil War Alabama. Let me be clear, Junie is more than a story of suffering—this novel demonstrates the strength and resilience of a young Black girl who defies and resists the peculiar institution. Eckstine’s courageous protagonist dares to love, fights for freedom, and believes in self-expression in a world seeking to silence and control her. As Junie comes of age on the Bellerine Plantation, she exposes the harsh realities of enslavement. Yet, Junie demands more for her life, rewriting spaces for Black girls that defy and resist. In fact, she refuses to follow rules or remain complacent with slavery’s oppressive whip. What we gain from Junie’s characterization is a bold, daring Black girl who forces herself outside the margins of [...]
