海角破解版

Cleveland author Echo Brown opens 鈥淭he Chosen One鈥� with the line: 鈥淪omeone is watching me.鈥�

鈥淥ne day I was sitting on the couch and that sentence came,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淎nd I was like, 鈥榃hat's that mean?鈥欌��

The line connects to Brown鈥檚 whole second novel based on her own experiences as a first-generation Black college student who rose out of poverty in Cleveland to attend an Ivy League school. In this autobiographical tale fused with magical realism, the title character, also Echo Brown, details what it feels like to be constantly watched by her white peers while burdened with the pressures to succeed.

鈥淚 hope, ultimately, that the book provides a deeper insight into how structural racism affects you internally,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淏ecause I think we talk a lot about the systems that are in place, the policies that have been in place historically. But I don't think we look a lot at the internal repercussions.鈥�

In the book written for young adults, Echo contends with racism, depression and past traumas while navigating new relationships, some positive and others not. Her ability to foster supportive and meaningful relationships makes all the difference in her freshman year journey.

鈥淚f you go to a place like Dartmouth and you remain isolated - which is a big part of my story there, I was very isolated in actuality - then you can kind of put yourself into this bubble where you're just alone with your own thoughts,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭he importance of connecting with other people is it pulls you out of that mindset and it gives you a different kind of strength.鈥�

鈥淭he Chosen One鈥� follows Brown鈥檚 first novel, 鈥淏lack Girl Unlimited,鈥� about rising out of poverty as a teenager. Both were written for young adults at her editor鈥檚 prompting, and Brown said it has been an honor to write for young people.

鈥淵ou get to impact their self-esteem. You get to build these kinds of lessons into their developing subconscious,鈥� she said.

While writing 鈥淭he Chosen One鈥� Brown was hospitalized with major health problems.

鈥淚 was in a real hurry when I wrote this book because I was dying,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was in the hospital in Paris and my kidneys had just failed.鈥�

She urgently worked to finish the novel in order to share her college life lessons with future generations. Brown has since moved back to Cleveland and needs a kidney donor and transplant.

She鈥檚 currently working on another novel, children鈥檚 books and a TV pilot.

鈥淭hese books are really part of my soul,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey're the actual spiritual work and the actual spiritual growth that I've gone through in my life.鈥�