S.A. COSBY’S SOUTHERN GRIT
Obama + Spielberg Produce Series
The Obamas and Spielberg joining forces to turn a book into a series takes a special voice and S.A. Cosby has that honor, well earned with his consistent excellence on the page. Half of his first six novels have appeared on President Obama’s Reading Lists. His genre is best described as Southern gothic crime noir thrillers featuring battles for justice, answers and accountability.
Cosby is a Virginia native who still resides in Gloucester, always bringing his lived experience in to his writing in the most authentic and intriguing way, even when covering incredibly difficult to read topics including racial prejudice, masculinity, class struggles, homophobia, and intergenerational trauma.
Every story of Cosby’s features provocative, gritty topics presented in a “you can’t put this story down” way. You will need to take a deep breath after (and in between), but will feel like you’ve gotten a window into a fascinating world you may not have had insight into previously.
The author’s story is admirable, too. Cosby, whose given name is Shawn, left college to care for his mom, self-publishing his first book, Brotherhood of the Blade, in 2014. My Darkest Prayer was his first novel published by Flatiron Books.
Blacktop Wasteland brought louder critical acclaim and much more notice, with Cosby being likened to authors Colson Whitehead and Walter Moseley. Razorblade Tears caught Hollywood’s eye, with Jerry Bruckheimer Films optioning the book in a competitive situation, now partnered with Apple to adapt the book.
Further expanding into different branches of pop culture, there is Truth to Power, a Luke Cage novel where Cosby brings Luke down to Virginia for an investigation, and The Rhythm of Time, a middle-grade book series Cosby co-authored with The Roots’ Questlove.
And then there is All Sinners Bleed. A fascinating ride full of twists, turns and intriguing reveals that brought together the production companies of Barack and Michelle Obama (Higher Ground) and Steven Spielberg (Amblin Television) for a nine-episode Netflix adaptation starring the fantastic Sope Dirisu. Black Panther and Wakanda Forever screenwriter Joe Robert Cole oversaw the series, expected in 2027.
Cosby’s latest novel is King of Ashes, a crime drama likened to The Godfather set in the Southern United States. Like the rest of Cosby’s stories, expect complex & (rightfully) conflicted characters encountering provocative twists and turns. Add S.A. Cosby to your reading list before his next book Highway Full of Night is released next June!
