Beige (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781498473859)

In 1935 Seattle, Josiah Kessler has never seen a colored person. But when the 15-year-old newspaper boy delivers a copy of the Renton Chronicle to Davis Jordan, the old Mississippi man befriends him. Soon, over homemade Southern cooking and ragtime music thumping from the phonograph, the impoverished teen finds an unexpected companionship from the colored elder's kindness. While the youngster learns the dark history of the culture he lives in and discovers the mortal impact of the Great Depression surrounding him, his friend Dave becomes an intriguing anchor. Josiah hides the curious relationship from his somber milkman father, Obadiah Wade, but when fatal sickness topples Josiah's life the shattered boy discovers a boundless love that shapes his manhood through war years, two chasing hearts, and a drastically changing world.

Beige is a heartrending coming-of-age tale that bridges young naïveté with old country wisdom, still relevant today. An addictive cast of characters, both sweet and sour, will hook readers with plot twists and transport them to a vivid bygone era that proves sacrificial friendship can overcome shame of any shade - while transforming unsuspecting lives along the way.

Ci'Monique Green is an award-winning novelist and native Seattleite borne of Mississippi grandparents who migrated to the Pacific Northwest during World War II. She lives in Los Angeles where she relishes the sunny days with pen in hand.

Visit her at cimoniquegreen.com.