Maya Williams
From The Headlight Review's Contest Judge for 2025 Olatunde Osinaike:
"As with all we tend, love is not linear. Some moments it breaks, others it flees like a comb from hair but it is here - where doubt ends and faith begins - that we find this dazzling collection of poems, moving us from our own understanding of expectation to the dream of reimagining. In Feminine Morbidity, we find an unapologetic writer able to walk the fine line of surprise and devotion, upending the long-held history of Western birthright and belonging. A lens that is at once an embodiment of resilience and uplift, this work is one of intention and reassertion. In an elevation of lineage and identity, Williams illustrates the true spark of liberation, acknowledging the spirit and language owed to that which we build in place of the empire."
You can order yourself a copy at The Headlight Review.
What's So Wrong with a Pity Party Anyway? is a collection of poems that explore where grief comes from, grief for our loved ones who die by suicide, and what it means to grieve people in community after unnecessary tragedy. It is a collection that begs the question, in the midst of grief, is there any room to celebrate?
You can order yourself a copy at Garden Party Collective.
Refused a Second Date is a collection about first dates that prevent chances of there being a second one. The poems center on first date impressions, intergenerational patterns of dating and domestic violence, racism in dating, mental health, religion as it relates to sex, and queerness. Refused a Second Date is a love letter to the romantic, platonic, and familial relationships that shape us. Most importantly, it is a love letter to the author's mother shaping how they navigate their relationships.
You can order yourself a copy at Harbor Editions.
If you'd like to order multiple copies for your bookstore, library, or organization, you can reach out to Harbor Editions directly at harboreditions@gmail.com. Please order a month in advance for when you need them.
You can order a signed copy from me by sending $20 to my PayPal (use email mayawilliams16@gmail.com if link isn't working). Make sure to include your address and the name of the book you are buying in the “Note” section and choose “Paying a friend” in order to avoid a fee.
Suicide is often framed as betrayal, even though we live in a world that betrays us. When this world tells us that death is better, what does it mean to have faith in life? Judas & Suicide is a poetry collection navigating religion and suicidality. It approaches these topics through the lens of Black family and community, sadness, medication, sexual violence, the prison industrial complex, media, and Bible verses. Judas & Suicide explores how to be convinced to stay alive without feeling obligated to.
You can order yourself a copy at Game Over Books.
Copies are also available through Asterism. If you'd like to order multiple copies for your bookstore, library, or organization, please order a month in advance for when you need them.