Big news about my next book 🥂

There’s something I thought you should know…and there’s an EGOT involved. 🙌🏽

HARPERONE GROUP COLLABORATES WITH VIOLA DAVIS, JULIUS TENNON, AND LAVAILLE LAVETTE’S JVL MEDIA ON NEW PROJECT

“Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church by L. Michelle Smith is a captivating exploration of why many high-ranking, high-performing Black professionals attribute their leadership skills to their origins in the Black Church.

Read all about it.

Honestly, I’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude since Easter Sunday when I first learned that this was actually happening; however, it was the day that I was reviewing the deal points with my soon-to -be editor over the phone, and I stopped her just to be clear:

“Wait, are you telling me that Viola Davis has had my work in her hand and approved this?” And she giggled and said, “Yes!” There was more, but I’ll save that for a later date. That was the day when the grateful tears started to flow, nearly every day for about a week until I signed the contract.

Then the tears started again.

I’m eternally grateful for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to working closely with everyone involved to get this important, first of it’s kind, evidence-based, culturally-nuanced leadership book out into the world!

This has been quite an amazing journey.

A huge congratulations to Amistad/HarperCollins and JVL Media on this genius partnership and accomplishment! I appreciate my work being seen and valued, because it’s collaborations like these that move the needle forward for authors like myself. It also sparks the most vital and creative conversations.

Thank you for including me on your debut slate of artists!

Let’s get it!

Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church. (Amistad/JVL/ HarperOne), Winter 2026.

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