Based out of Harlem, AfterWords Books is the culmination of years working in the New York literary and publishing scene and is the passion project of lifelong book-lover and writer, Marcia Mayne.
Recognizing how overwhelming the publishing process can be, Marcia created AfterWords Books in 2011, an all-in-one boutique imprint and publishing service, in order to facilitate the transition from manuscript to published work for aspiring authors. As its cornerstone, AfterWords Books seeks to demystify the task of getting a book made, offering personalized support to inexperienced and first-time authors. Dedicated to literary excellence and the need for increased cultural and ethnic diversity in the industry, AfterWords Books is committed to assisting authors find their voices and have those voices heard!
Led by an expert team of dedicated professionals within the publishing industry, AfterWords Books ushers authors through the complete publication process, from initial manuscript or outline to finished published volume, releasing up to six new titles each year.
Learn more about the services Afterwords Books offers.
The AfterWords Books Team
Marcia Mayne, Founder
Originally from Jamaica, Marcia completed her Bachelor’s degree at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada prior to undertaking graduate work in international development at the University of Ottawa. She worked for several years as an art gallery director and artist representative in Washington, D.C. before moving to New York City, which she now calls home.
Marcia fell quite serendipitously into book promotion when she organized the New York launch of a friend’s book. Following this success and recognizing the need for authors of diverse cultural heritages to reach larger audiences, she founded Date With a Book in 2006, a book club that focuses on new and classic works from Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora authors. Later that year, she also founded Marcia Mayne Book Publicity in order to help authors and publishers reach and connect with more readers and sell new books.
As word spread of her professionalism, enthusiasm, and dedication to her clients, Marcia was increasingly approached by people wanting to see their own creative writing projects published but were confused and uncertain about how to make their dreams reality. Seeing a need for greater support and transparency in the publishing process, Marcia eventually expanded beyond the literary services offered at Marcia Mayne Book Publicity. In 2011, Afterwords Books—an all-in-one boutique imprint offering both publishing and publicity services—was born! With an increased focus on providing a more hands-on, personalized approach to publishing, Marcia and her team at AfterWords Books shepherd new authors through the entire process of transforming a manuscript into an actual book from start to finish.
Rakia Clark, Editor
Since beginning her career in 2002, Rakia has worked with many national bestselling authors, including Bill Cosby; novelists Sue Monk Kidd and Jan Karon; NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell; former Bush political advisor Karen Hughes; and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Garry Wills, among others.
Rakia has held editorial positions at HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Group, and Kensington Publishing. Prior to that, she attended Haverford College and the Columbia Publishing Course, where she was an AOL Time Warner Scholar.