Carmen Simmons – författare

Set in 1990s Brooklyn, Gloria is a raw and emotionally gripping coming-of-age novel that follows a young Black girl navigating the messy, beautiful chaos of adolescence in the shadow of grief, addiction, and survival. After losing both parents to AIDS and drug addiction, thirteen-year-old Gloria is forced to grow up too fast while living under the strict watch of her grandmother in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Told through intimate diary-style entries and vivid scenes, Gloria s story unfolds with honesty and urgency. She leans on hip-hop, sisterhood, and the rhythm of the streets to make sense of a world where love is complicated and loss is constant. As Gloria dodges neighborhood predators, clings to fleeting friendships, and dreams of stability, she discovers her own resilience and her voice. This is not just a story of survival it's a love letter to 90s New York City, to Black girlhood, and to every young person trying to find light in the dark. With echoes of Sister Souljah, Jacqueline Woodson, and Angie Thomas, Gloria is for readers who crave truth, grit, and powerful stories rooted in urban culture and Black resilience.