Photo by CLEO Speaks / CLEO TV
Anita Kopacz‘s debut novel tells a tale of “strength, love, perseverance, and Black identity” through the eyes of a Yoruba deity in “Shallow Waters.”
The first fiction novel under Charlamagne Tha God‘s imprint, Black Privilege Publishing, follows Yemaya, a Black mermaid deity who watched over enslaved African people as they were forcibly shipped across the Atlantic. Separated from her parents who are unaware of her “divine destiny” at the age of 16, she sets off on an epic journey with Obatala — a mysterious stranger with whom she shares an inexplicable connection.
When Obatala sacrifices his freedom for hers, Yemaya must travel across the ocean and into the unknown to save him. Transcending through time and place to search for him, she confronts great evil and must find her true fighter within.
Although “Shallow Waters” will be available for purchase on August 3, the novel is already award-winning.
Black Privilege Publishing is led by “The Breakfast Club” host and bestselling author and focuses on opening new doors in the publishing marketplace by amplifying Black and brown narratives by rethinking traditional approaches within the industry.
In an episode of TV One’s docuseries Uncensored, the 42-year-old explained why it’s important that the Black community “saves themselves at the end of the day” and why he’s on “economic empowerment for me and my community.”
Watch the full clip below:
Like TV One on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
