Meet the Author
Will Leamon: Preserving Memories Through Fiction
Mama, Me & 'Em is truly a celebration of the life of a mother of color as well as the lives of all mothers, their children and the roles and situations they manage throughout their lives. MME is a unique introspection into the love of life and its sometimes bittersweet journey as seen through the impassioned eyes of a mother's son. Will Leamon has refreshingly challenged many of the conventional rules of expression in a narrative blend of fiction and non-fiction that passionately scoop us up into his net of a truly interesting and memorable novel.
The Storyteller behind Bittersweet
Will Leamon is the author of fictional works that serve as deeply personal explorations of a Black American experience across the 20th century. Born out of a need to capture the essence of memory, his work bridges the gap between historical fact and emotional truth.
Within every subsequent chapter, Will Leamon's readers become mesmerized in a time warp of American culture in general and Black American culture in particular - specifically between 1942-2003. We migrate with a strong and determined Black American mother and her son fleeing an unhappy marriage and the inhumane Jim Crow laws in the south to supposedly great expectations in the north - Brooklyn NY.
A Reflective, Bittersweet Voice
His writing style is characterized by a reflective, "bittersweet" tone. He blends vivid historical detail with emotional family narratives, ensuring that every word feels weighted with the gravity of history and the lightness of hope.
The Great Migration
Finding the stories of those who moved from the Jim Crow South to the urban anticipated opportunities of the North.
Maternal Guidance
The profound influence of the "Ma" figure — the pillar of strength in times of poverty and prejudice.
Mapping the 20th Century
From the Red Summer of 1919 through the World War II blackouts of 1942 to the beginning of the millennium, Leamon weaves major historical events into the lives of ordinary Black families, showing how the world shaped their destinies.
