Appearances
Desmond presents on a variety of topics including his book, Your Corner Dark, the craft of writing, and publishing.
New England Crime Bake | November 13, 2021
Dynamics of Opposition Workshop
10:30-11:45am ET
Boston Book Festival | October 15, 2021
Writing in the Graveyard Shift Panel
Besides having day jobs to help support themselves, most writers face additional demands on their time—from parenting to helping aging or ill relatives or friends to coping with global threats such as the recent pandemic. Creativity can languish when relegated to the graveyard shift. How do you manage an intense day job and personal obligations while still getting a book out…or more? Come hear how writers Desmond Hall (Your Corner Dark), Doris Iarovici (Minus One), Daphne Kalotay (Blue Hours), and Rishi Reddi (Passage West) did it during this on-demand panel discussion.
Concord Festival of Authors: YA Authors Panel | October 10, 2021
Heather Ridge School | September 27, 2021
Author Visit
Raising a Reader Gala | June 21, 2021
Author presentation, 7:00 pm ET
Craft on Draft | May 18, 2021
VIRTUAL: Craft on Draft – World Building: Turning Setting into Character
7:00pm ET
Craft on Draft events are always great, and you won’t want to miss this one! For some books, the setting is so pivotal, the story could not take place anywhere else. How do authors build such a strong sense of place that it becomes another character? Join us as authors Julie Carrick Dalton (Waiting for the Night Song), Desmond Hall (Your Corner Dark) and Nancy Johnson (The Kindest Lie) discuss building the worlds of their marvelous debut novels. This event will be moderated by Leslie Teel.
Solid State Books with Jason Reynolds | April 29, 2021
Join us in welcoming Desmond Hall in conversation with Jason Reynolds discussing Hall’s Your Corner Dark. 7:00 pm ET
YALL WEST | April 24, 2021 Baking a Book
Saturday, April 24th, 1:00 PM PDT, Sponsored by Penguin Teen
GIVEAWAY: 5 ARCS of WE ARE INEVITABLE by Gayle Forman
What we’ve baked over quarantine and how we make our books. What’s the recipe for success?
Moderated by Cookie Hiponia Everman with Mahogany L Browne, Gayle Forman, Desmond Hall, Loan Le, and Holly Goldberg Sloan
Event Link
GrubStreet’s Muse & the Marketplace | April 21 – 25, 2022
Perspective in YA with Jennifer De Leon
Framingham State University | April 14, 2021
Author presentation, 3:00pm ET
St. Louis Teen Book Fest | April 13, 2021
I Am a Work In Progress Panel Discussion
Natasha Diaz, “Color Me In”
Desmond Hall, “Your Corner Dark”
Adib Khorram, “Darius the Great Deserves Better”
Trung Le Nguyen, “The Magic Fish”
The panel discussion will be available starting at 7:00 p.m., April 13 on http://www.facebook.com/STLCoLibrary.
Each of these novels feature characters learning to be true to themselves despite the expectations and misconceptions of their families, friends and communities. With great truth and heart, young adult authors explore complex issues of intersectional identity, racism and religious intolerance, sexuality, and mental health.
826 Boston | April 1, 2021
Author Presentation
Tucson Book Festival | March 6, 2021
Survival and Hope in an Unfair World
Three authors talk about writing young adult novels based on their experiences with gang life in Jamaica, their battles with depression in Ciudad Juarez and dealing with ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. Their stories reflect the challenges of maintaining hope within a world that is often unfair.
Sat, Mar 6, 2021, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Panelists: Desmond Hall, Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, Alessandra Narváez Varela
Moderator: Charlene Mendoza
Sisters in Crime | March 1, 2021
Author Panel
Boston International High School | February 24, 2021
Author presentation
Brookline Library | February 23, 2021
Black History Month Panel, 7:00pm ET
Brookline Booksmith Celebrating Black Voices | February 19, 2021
Celebrating Black Voices: A Black History Month Author Panel
Celebrate Black History Month with a free panel event featuring authors Desmond Hall, Christina Hammonds Reed, Nancy Johnson, B.B. Alston and E. Dolores Johnson! 7:00pm ET
SiriusXM, Urban View | February 5, 2021
Interview, 11:00am ET
Brooklyn Public Library | February 4, 2021
Author Reading and Activity: Your Corner Dark
Join young adult’s book author Desmond Hall in a talk that will center on his process, in particular, the use of the “forces of antagonism.” During the discussion he will use his novel, Your Corner Dark, to exemplify how the forces of antagonism come into play in regards to his protagonist, Frankie Green, a Jamaican high school student who gets a full ride scholarship to study in the U.S. He will also illustrate the importance of resume writing, and seeking internships, as well as the reliance on teachers and school administrators. The talk will have a positive and uplifting through line. 10:30am ET
A Mighty Blaze with Rachel Barenbaum | January 24, 2021
Author discussion
Boston Public Library, in partnership with GrubStreet | January 21, 2021
Author Desmond Hall will speak about the writing journey, navigating through the publishing world, finding writing support, and living as an artist while trying to navigate life in general. He’ll also be taking questions from teens, and copies of his book will be given away to randomly selected attendees.
Presented by the Roxbury, Mattapan, and Grove Hall branches in partnership with Grub Street Center for Creative Writing. This is a teens-only event and will take place on Zoom. Registrants will be emailed an invite on the day of the event.
Book Launch Party at GrubStreet | January 19, 2021
Join GrubStreet Novel Incubator alum Desmond Hall for the launch of his debut novel, Your Corner Dark, in conversation with GrubStreet Board Member Jennifer De Leon TONIGHT from 7pm – 8pm! This event is free and open to all, and is hosted on Crowdcast.
NEIBA Kit Lit All About the Books | January 15, 2021
Author presentation
ALAN Workshop | November 23, 2020
Boston Writers of Color Group | October 15, 2020
Writing and Publishing YA: Jenn De Leon & Desmond Hall
Join Authors Jenn De Leon (Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From) and Desmond Hall (Your Corner Dark, forthcoming Jan 2021) for a conversation on their debut novels, their experience in writing for young adults, and their publishing experiences as writers of color. This will take place in a Zoom webinar, and the zoom link will be posted on the day of the event. 6 – 7pm ET
Boston Book Festival | October 19, 2019
Long Time Gone
Author Panel with Kelly J. Ford, Desmond Hall, Elizabeth Chile Shelburne, Marjan Kamali
Muse & the Marketplace | April 3 – 5, 2019
YA Author Presentation