In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen.

Over the twenty-four years she’s been enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there’s no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry.

But when William finally listens to Louella’s pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people out of their plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles.

Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness—and fight for the freedom and dignity of all.

Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen shares the unsung true history of a kingdom built as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.

Extensive Publicity and Marketing Campaign including:

• Print and electronic galleys available for media and sales

• Promotions at national events such as ALA Conference and Essence Festival of Culture

• Goodreads, NetGalley, and blogger / influencer outreach to garner early reader reviews

• Early ARC mailings to booksellers, including Black-owned bookstores, and trade publications

• Targeted media outreach to secure features with outlets covering historical, women’s, and Christian fiction

• Dedicated e-mails to HCCP consumer and librarian lists

• National digital advertising campaign

• February 2024 Indie Next List (nominations due November 28, 2023) and January 2024 LibraryReads (nominations due December 1, 2023) promotional campaigns

• Social media promotions through HCCP, influencers, and author’s social channels – including cover reveal, tour news, giveaways, videos, and contests

• Vanessa will embark on a Southern tour in the states the Queen and King travel through on their way to the Happy Land: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina

• Media inquiries: Margaret Kercher, margaret.kercher@harpercollins.com