Samara Cole Doyon
@samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social
Author of Magnificent Homespun Brown, Magic Like That, Next Level. International Literacy Award Winner. Lupin Award Winner. Poet. Mom. She / her / hers
Pinned
Good Morning. Giving this app a try. About me: I’m a Black Mainer, a neurodivergent mom, and a poet who’s proud of my Haitian roots, etc. I’ve earned a Kirkus star for each of my traditionally published children’s books. I believe in our collective liberation. I’m tired.
1/ I just picked up a script and had to stand in line behind a couple of loudmouth dudes (I’ll let you guess what they looked like) making fun of people in our community who feel unsafe because of ICE / Trump. The guy getting his script got to the part where he had to pay and couldn’t. Put his pal
October 23, 2025 at 1:18 PM
1/ I just picked up a script and had to stand in line behind a couple of loudmouth dudes (I’ll let you guess what they looked like) making fun of people in our community who feel unsafe because of ICE / Trump. The guy getting his script got to the part where he had to pay and couldn’t. Put his pal
A high school kid just said to their friend “Yo, 8h grade was my prime,” as the two of them walked past our driveway.
October 14, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A high school kid just said to their friend “Yo, 8h grade was my prime,” as the two of them walked past our driveway.
I hope you have a sacred and beautiful Indigenous Peoples Day 🫶🏾✨
October 13, 2025 at 10:34 AM
I hope you have a sacred and beautiful Indigenous Peoples Day 🫶🏾✨
Every week is a good week to read banned books. Every week is a good week to NOT attempt control of others’ thoughts, feelings, art consumption. You get to decide which books YOU read and which books YOUR children are allowed to read. You don’t get to decide which books MY can children read.
October 10, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Every week is a good week to read banned books. Every week is a good week to NOT attempt control of others’ thoughts, feelings, art consumption. You get to decide which books YOU read and which books YOUR children are allowed to read. You don’t get to decide which books MY can children read.
My homie!!!! 😍💃🏾😍💃🏾😍💃🏾😍💃🏾
September 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
My homie!!!! 😍💃🏾😍💃🏾😍💃🏾😍💃🏾
Reposted by Samara Cole Doyon
SATURDAY! Children's Lit Fest with @samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social & and Kalee Gwarjanski & @painternik.bsky.social & crafts & snacks! Sept. 6 10-noon (+sensory-friendly storytime at 9) Community Life Center 401 Bridge St. Sept. 4-7, stop by the Ropes Mansion Garden for a Story Walk! salemlitfest.org
September 1, 2025 at 7:30 PM
SATURDAY! Children's Lit Fest with @samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social & and Kalee Gwarjanski & @painternik.bsky.social & crafts & snacks! Sept. 6 10-noon (+sensory-friendly storytime at 9) Community Life Center 401 Bridge St. Sept. 4-7, stop by the Ropes Mansion Garden for a Story Walk! salemlitfest.org
Today I woke up super early, got ready, and drove 2 hours for a book event. A book event which takes place next week. That’s how my ✨executive functioning✨ program is running rn 🫠 Anyway, catch me at the Salem Lit Fest next Saturday 💃🏾
August 30, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Today I woke up super early, got ready, and drove 2 hours for a book event. A book event which takes place next week. That’s how my ✨executive functioning✨ program is running rn 🫠 Anyway, catch me at the Salem Lit Fest next Saturday 💃🏾
Things that make me feel grounded or regulated again after a big upset:
1) Non-judgmental, affirming listening. 2) Journaling (listening to and affirming myself). 3) Being outside & in a safe, familiar place when the air is dry / cool. 4) Snuggles. 5) Music, audiobooks, a podcast by an educated
1) Non-judgmental, affirming listening. 2) Journaling (listening to and affirming myself). 3) Being outside & in a safe, familiar place when the air is dry / cool. 4) Snuggles. 5) Music, audiobooks, a podcast by an educated
August 26, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Things that make me feel grounded or regulated again after a big upset:
1) Non-judgmental, affirming listening. 2) Journaling (listening to and affirming myself). 3) Being outside & in a safe, familiar place when the air is dry / cool. 4) Snuggles. 5) Music, audiobooks, a podcast by an educated
1) Non-judgmental, affirming listening. 2) Journaling (listening to and affirming myself). 3) Being outside & in a safe, familiar place when the air is dry / cool. 4) Snuggles. 5) Music, audiobooks, a podcast by an educated
Hi. American slavery was an absolute abomination, and the global descendants of enslaved people absolutely deserve reparations. Have whatever kind of day you need to have 🥰
August 23, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Hi. American slavery was an absolute abomination, and the global descendants of enslaved people absolutely deserve reparations. Have whatever kind of day you need to have 🥰
Reminder: A lot of what people think they know about you is projection. To “understand” or interpret you, to “see” you at all, to make space for you in their world, others wash you in shades of their own limited palette. You exceed their capacity to understand.
August 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Reminder: A lot of what people think they know about you is projection. To “understand” or interpret you, to “see” you at all, to make space for you in their world, others wash you in shades of their own limited palette. You exceed their capacity to understand.
Is it normal to find yourself shaking and sobbing until your eyes are swollen half-shut because of a beautifully written passage about love, loss, and grief in a book? Or am I actually insane? Thanks in advance for your insight 💃🏾
August 14, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Is it normal to find yourself shaking and sobbing until your eyes are swollen half-shut because of a beautifully written passage about love, loss, and grief in a book? Or am I actually insane? Thanks in advance for your insight 💃🏾
Reposted by Samara Cole Doyon
Honestly, even if you merely like (or generously tolerate!) an author, this is a lovely thing to do for books and bookstores and bookfriends and bookculture. ♥️ Requesting that your local library order it goes a long way too (especially with lesser-known authors most library don't have on auto-buy).
If you love an author, preorder their next book as soon as you hear about it. They’ll love you forever, and when you get your copy the very day of publication, you’ll forget you ever paid for it and it’ll feel like you got it free.
3/2
3/2
August 4, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Honestly, even if you merely like (or generously tolerate!) an author, this is a lovely thing to do for books and bookstores and bookfriends and bookculture. ♥️ Requesting that your local library order it goes a long way too (especially with lesser-known authors most library don't have on auto-buy).
Getting some work done via phone because my laptop is busted, organizing all my to-do lists (home management / family / personal, professional writing, my actual paying job, etc) when I reach into the wad of curls gathered on top of my head and find a pen. Slept on it all night. Classic 🫠
July 30, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Getting some work done via phone because my laptop is busted, organizing all my to-do lists (home management / family / personal, professional writing, my actual paying job, etc) when I reach into the wad of curls gathered on top of my head and find a pen. Slept on it all night. Classic 🫠
Reposted by Samara Cole Doyon
Children's Lit Fest returns to Salem Saturday, September 6, featuring storytimes with @samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social & Kalee Gwarjanski & @painternik.bsky.social plus crafts and snacks! September 4-7, stop by the Ropes Mansion Garden for a Story Walk! Swipe through for all the details.
July 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Children's Lit Fest returns to Salem Saturday, September 6, featuring storytimes with @samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social & Kalee Gwarjanski & @painternik.bsky.social plus crafts and snacks! September 4-7, stop by the Ropes Mansion Garden for a Story Walk! Swipe through for all the details.
🫠
I love that thing where if you’re a black person of note, the second you leave a space where you’re recognized it’s just back to your regularly scheduled racism 😀
July 20, 2025 at 12:15 PM
🫠
Sometimes I get caught up in the chaos tornado that has been my entire existence for so long I forget we have high bush blueberries we can simply. . .harvest this time of year.
July 19, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Sometimes I get caught up in the chaos tornado that has been my entire existence for so long I forget we have high bush blueberries we can simply. . .harvest this time of year.
I ended yesterday by finally watching Sinners for the first time. I didn’t watch a single trailer, read a single review, or engage in any real conversation about it, previously. I wanted to watch it with fresh eyes. And I’m still trying to process. . .all of it. But I have a few thoughts:
July 5, 2025 at 10:24 AM
I ended yesterday by finally watching Sinners for the first time. I didn’t watch a single trailer, read a single review, or engage in any real conversation about it, previously. I wanted to watch it with fresh eyes. And I’m still trying to process. . .all of it. But I have a few thoughts:
I started yesterday sitting on the concrete steps back steps to the backyard, watching my son run between the trees and through the grass, crying. Just overwhelmed and heartbroken about too many personal things to name. Personal in an individual way, and
July 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
I started yesterday sitting on the concrete steps back steps to the backyard, watching my son run between the trees and through the grass, crying. Just overwhelmed and heartbroken about too many personal things to name. Personal in an individual way, and
Reposted by Samara Cole Doyon
TW: Genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians suddenly losing legal status in the US so they can be deported reminds me of the Parsley Massacre. Which reminds me of the vice grip in which Western policies have choked Haiti since her independence in 1804. Which reminds me of the extreme brutality
July 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
TW: Genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians suddenly losing legal status in the US so they can be deported reminds me of the Parsley Massacre. Which reminds me of the vice grip in which Western policies have choked Haiti since her independence in 1804. Which reminds me of the extreme brutality
I used to think of writing as a very insulated and isolated act. Individual. My thoughts. My words. My work. My credit. OR someone else’s work. But always a particular person or a couple participate people to credit. Individual contributions. But after working with multiple editors, attending
June 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
I used to think of writing as a very insulated and isolated act. Individual. My thoughts. My words. My work. My credit. OR someone else’s work. But always a particular person or a couple participate people to credit. Individual contributions. But after working with multiple editors, attending
If birthright citizenship doesn’t stand, how does any citizenship aside from naturalization stand? If it’s not merit, if it’s not earned, it’s luck of the draw. And it’s *almost like* (heavy sarcasm) they’re OK with that as long as brown people are the unlucky ones. Per usual. Per their design.
June 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
If birthright citizenship doesn’t stand, how does any citizenship aside from naturalization stand? If it’s not merit, if it’s not earned, it’s luck of the draw. And it’s *almost like* (heavy sarcasm) they’re OK with that as long as brown people are the unlucky ones. Per usual. Per their design.
A love letter to complainers, to whiners, to poets, profits, artists, to those who live in the margins or look at the margins and refuse to pretend oppression is paradise, to those who give voice to the uncomfortable truths and empower others to do the same: Thank you. From the marrow in my bones
June 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
A love letter to complainers, to whiners, to poets, profits, artists, to those who live in the margins or look at the margins and refuse to pretend oppression is paradise, to those who give voice to the uncomfortable truths and empower others to do the same: Thank you. From the marrow in my bones
What if the purest expression of your honest heart, your authentic voice, your art, your gifts, automatically make space for themselves in this world because the world desperately needs those things? Because your expression of what is holy and real is part of the wholeness of Everything?
June 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
What if the purest expression of your honest heart, your authentic voice, your art, your gifts, automatically make space for themselves in this world because the world desperately needs those things? Because your expression of what is holy and real is part of the wholeness of Everything?
I woke up with so much heaviness. When will we grow tired of exporting such immense suffering, violence, grief? When will it end?
June 22, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I woke up with so much heaviness. When will we grow tired of exporting such immense suffering, violence, grief? When will it end?