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Mara Brock Akil's Debut Novel Explores 90s NYC Secrets
24 Feb
Summary
- Mara Brock Akil's first novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne, publishes June 30, 2026.
- The novel follows a NYC woman in the 90s confronting suppressed childhood secrets.
- Akil is also a producer honored with awards and has a Netflix series returning.
Mara Brock Akil, acclaimed showrunner behind "Girlfriends" and "Being Mary Jane," is set to release her debut novel, "The Revelation of Dionne Daphne," on June 30, 2026. Published by Storehouse Voices, the book plunges into the life of its magnetic heroine navigating personal awakening amidst secrets in 90s New York City.
Akil describes the novel as exploring familiar themes of isolation, shame, and resilience, emphasizing the redemptive power of love. The story follows Dionne, a beauty editor whose seemingly perfect life cracks when faced with life-threatening news, prompting a journey into her suppressed childhood past.
This literary endeavor follows a period of significant professional recognition for Brock Akil. She received the African American Film Critics Association TV Honors Legacy Award in 2025 and is slated to receive the Producers Guild of America's Norman Lear Achievement Award on February 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. Concurrently, her hit Netflix series, "Forever," is set to return for its second season.
