As the editor of a literary journal dedicated to promoting the work of women writers, I try to be conscientious and diverse in the work I present in the journal. For the Same, that means we want to be sure to represent the work of marginalized female voices which are underrepresented in the literary world—women of color, lesbian/bisexual women, and trans women, among others.

As a reader, I have a similar goal. I want to make sure I am reading diversely. I want to lend my support to marginalized authors, and I want to expand my own base of knowledge and understanding. Reading diversely is a wonderful way to cultivate empathy and compassion in a world that sometimes lacks both.

To that end, we want to share ten books by women of color we think you’d enjoy reading. These women are smart and talented, and their books are a joy to read. Each book is linked to it’s Amazon page where you can read the descriptions as well as find other books by these authors. They are incredible!

Rachel Holbrook writes from her home in Knoxville, TN. She is the author of the syndicated serial, Little River, Volumes 1 & 2. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Burningword Literary Journal, *82 Review, Ink in Thirds, Akitsu Quarterly, The Avalon Literary Review, and various other literary journals. When she’s not writing, she enjoys going on literal and literary adventures with her husband and six children.