Recap: 16th Annual WOMEN'S WAY Book Prize
On October 23rd, 2024, WOMEN'S WAY hosted our 16th Annual Book Prize honoring New York Times best-selling author, Sadeqa Johnson, for her novel The House of Eve. Moderated by Jeannine A. Cook, author and beloved shopkeeper of Harriett's Bookshop and Ida's Bookshop, viewers tuned in for a rich conversation exploring The House of Eve, its inspirations, themes, and much more.
Support your favorite local bookshop! The House of Eve is available for purchase from Harriett's Bookshop here.
For a limited time, you can catch a recording of the full event. (Available until 10/30/24.)
About the Author: Sadeqa Johnson, a former public relations manager, spent several years working with well-known authors such as Amy Tan and Bishop T.D. Jakes before becoming an author herself. She is a New York Times Bestselling author of five novels. Her most recent novel, The House of Eve was an instant New York Times Best Seller, Target book club pick, Reese’s Book Club selection, and NAACP Image Award Nominee. Her previous novel, Yellow Wife, was named by Oprah Magazine as “27 of 2021 Most Anticipated Winter Historical Fiction books.” Yellow Wife was also a 2021 Goodreads Choice Award finalist for historical fiction, a 2022 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist, a BCALA Literary Honoree, the Library of Virginia’s Literary People’s Choice Award winner, and a Barnes & Noble book club pick in paperback.
Sadeqa’s novels have received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal and have been featured in top reads lists by NBC News.com, Good Housekeeping, Christian Science Monitor, Reader’s Digest, Off The Shelf, W Magazine, Country Living, Hollywood Life, Parade, She Reads, and many others. She is a passionate public speaker and writing coach. She teaches for the MFA program at Drexel University and is a writing instructor for Story Summit. When she’s not writing or reading library books, she’s practicing yoga, meditating, hiking and dancing.
Originally from Philadelphia, Sadeqa currently lives near Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and three teenagers.
About The House of Eve: 1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.
Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done.
With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.
About the Annual WOMEN’S WAY Book Prize: The Book Prize honors a woman or gender-expansive author or co-author for their work in advancing the dialogue about issues impacting women and girls. Established in 2007, this prize honors the legacy of Ernesta Drinker Ballard, a WOMEN’S WAY founder, the first president of its Board of Directors, and an extraordinary champion for women and girls. View a list of past WOMEN'S WAY Book Prize honorees here.
