In this episode as we sit down with acclaimed author Desmond Hall to discuss storytelling, writing suspense novels and his latest book Better Must Come.  Desmond shares his techniques for keeping readers on the edge of their seats, and his tips for writing authentic characters who leap of the page with raw emotion and authenticity.

Better Must Come takes readers on a gripping journey through the sun-drenched streets of Jamaica, where light and darkness collide. Deja, a barrel girl who receives barrels from her mother in America, and Gabriel, entangled in a dangerous gang, find their lives intersecting unexpectedly. When Deja stumbles upon a bag filled with money, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that will test their courage, loyalty, and love.  It tackles universal themes of resilience, family bonds, and the pursuit of a brighter future.

About the Author

Desmond Hall was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and moved to Jamaica, Queens. He has worked as a high school biology and English teacher in East New York, Brooklyn; counseled teenage ex-cons after their release from Rikers Island; and served as Spike Lee’s creative director at Spike DDB.

Desmond has served on the board of thePartnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Advertising Council and judged the One Show, the American Advertising Awards, and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. He’s also been named one of Variety magazine’s Top 50 Creatives to Watch. Desmond is the author of the gritty YA novel Your Corner Dark which confronts the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family. He lives outside of Boston with his wife and two daughters.

 Episode References

Desmond Hall

[Desmond Hall's Website](https://desmondhall.com)

Your Corner Dark

[Your Corner Dark on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/

your-corner-dark)

3--- Better Must Come

[Better Must Come on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/

better-must-come)

4--- Spike DDB

[Spike DDB](https://www.spikeddb.com)

Bank Street College of Education

[Bank Street's Best Children's Books of the Year](https://www.bankstreet.edu/library/center-for-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/best-books-year/)

The One Show

[The One Show Awards](https://www.oneclub.org/awards/theoneshow/)

American Advertising Awards

[American Advertising Awards](https://www.americanadvertisingawards.com)

Variety Magazine

[Variety's 50 Creatives to Watch](https://variety.com)

Rikers Island

[Rikers Island](https://www.nyc.gov/html/doc/html/about/riikers-island.shtml)

Simon & Schuster

[Simon & Schuster](https://www.simonandschuster.com)

Jason Reynolds

[Jason Reynolds' Website](https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com)

Courtney Summers

[Courtney Summers' Website](https://www.courtneysummers.ca)

Jennifer De Leon

[Jennifer De Leon's Website](https://www.jenniferdeleonauthor.com)

Marlon James

[Marlon James' Website](https://www.marlonjameswriter.com)

George Packer

[George Packer's Articles](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/george-packer/)

The Gleaner

[The Gleaner](https://jamaica-gleaner.com)

HBO

[HBO](https://www.hbo.com)

Pulp Fiction

[Pulp Fiction IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/)

Tarantino

[Quentin Tarantino IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000233/)

Tulsa Massacre

[Tulsa Race Massacre](https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/tulsa-race-massacre)