Virginia Hamilton, 1983

#BlackWriters Who Helped Shape My Storytelling

February 5, 2016

Virginia Hamilton, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush

First published in 1982, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush, by Virginia Hamilton, was my first supernatural thriller. The main character, 14 year-old, “Tree,” was every bit the grown up Black Girl I wanted to be, when I read this book at the age of nine. Brother Rush was a supernatural being that showed Tree her past. Recently, I’ve been writing a feature screenplay in which a supernatural being shows the main character her past, and I realized today that this book planted the seed of inspiration over 30 years ago! Virginia Hamilton’s storytelling was rich, the characters were so unique, and the adventure was too compelling to put down. I went on to read all of her many books, and I think you should, too. ❤️ #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackWriters #BlackGirlMagic #BlackAuthors #Writer #Writing ✨Read more at https://Medium.com/@niamalikadixon✨