(BPRW) LAUNCH OF BLACK ODYSSEY MEDIA, NEW PRESS DEDICATED TO MULTI-PLATFORM REPRESENTATION OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE

Founded by Literary Agent, Producer, and Author Shawanda Williams, with Sales and Distribution from Kensington Publishing Corp.

(Black PR Wire) DALLAS, TX — Independent film and media studio Black Odyssey, LLC announces the launch of its national umbrella Black Odyssey Media, a new publishing venture dedicated to books by hybrid creatives representing the Black experience, with a cross-functional concentration on novelizations and works that can be adapted for film or television. Founded by literary agent, independent producer, and bestselling author Shawanda Williams, who is also known by her pseudonym N’Tyse, Black Odyssey Media will publish around 10 titles annually in hardcover, trade paperback, and mass-market formats with simultaneous eBook releases.

“The duality of being an author and having served the market as a literary agent for nearly nine years has allowed me to assess the industry from a unique vantage point,” said Founder and Publisher Shawanda Williams. “While some archaic paradigms have been replaced, there is still scant representation of BIPOC in the mainstream marketplace. However, with the vital support of our new partners, I hope that Black Odyssey can shift the trajectory as we usher in more diverse voices to cater to an underserved market.”

Black Odyssey Media has entered into a sales and distribution partnership with Kensington Publishing Corp., a leading independent publisher known for the diversity of its publishing program. Steven Zacharius, President and CEO of Kensington Publishing Corp., said, “Whether she’s writing her popular novels as N’Tyse, identifying talent as an agent, or developing innovative cross-media platforms for amplifying diverse voices, Shawanda Williams has a singular perspective and a keen sense of what the market wants. We have a history of success together – both in the books we’ve acquired from her as a literary agent, as well as her own novels published by our distribution client, Urban Books – so when she first came to Kensington with her vision for Black Odyssey Media, we immediately wanted to be a part of it.”

Black Odyssey Media’s inaugural list is planned to debut in Summer 2023 and includes the true event-inspired crime saga American Gunner by Eddy Clark with D. Andrea Whitfield; the relationship drama Women Cry in the Dark, Too by J.L. Blalock; New Orleans-set crime novel Midnight Sun by Stephanie M. Freeman. The publisher also has acquired Solomon Dark, a supernatural historical thriller by E. Gray, and Jack Girlz, a women’s heist thriller from the creator of the instant urban book-to-film hit Plug Love, Danielle Marcus.

Committed to advancing inclusivity, Black Odyssey aims to form a cultural touchstone by collaborating with hybrid creatives, publishing, and filmmaking/TV partners to cultivate multicultural content which embodies the Black experience. Alongside Shawanda Williams, Kreceda Tyler is overseeing acquisitions, with support from editorial associates Mandy Schultz and Brandie White.

Black Odyssey Media currently is acquiring fiction across all genres, including Contemporary Romance, Women’s Crime Thrillers, Psychological/Suspense Thrillers, Multicultural Fiction, 90s-Retro, Coming-of-Age, Relationship Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, and Celebrity/Influencer novel-mashups, in addition to select Narrative Non-Fiction.

“We are seeking distinct voices and robust interlacing storylines that are not only accessible, but that transcend cultural boundaries, well beyond the book,” adds Williams. “In our current digital era and with the emergence of streaming platforms, the appetite and demand for creative content have soared, and a writer’s aspiration to see their works on screen has never been more tangible. It’s a surreal, yet humbling awakening for creatives right now, and I want Black Odyssey to lead in this new elevation as we use our influence to amplify Black storytellers in both literature and film.”

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ABOUT BLACK ODYSSEY MEDIA

Black Odyssey Media is an independently woman-owned publishing imprint, committed to spotlighting minority storytellers. With an annual slate of around 10 titles, its list includes commercial and multi-genre fiction that entwines universal themes featuring characters from all walks of life.