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Debut Novel Charts Four Decades In A NC African American Community

WUNC News | By Frank Stasio,
Amanda Magnus
Published June 4, 2019 at 11:50 AM EDT
De'Shawn Charles Winslow, author of the debut novel 'In West Mills.'
De'Shawn Charles Winslow, author of the debut novel 'In West Mills.'
De'Shawn Charles Winslow, author of the debut novel 'In West Mills.'
Credit Julie R. Keresztes/Courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing
De'Shawn Charles Winslow, author of the debut novel 'In West Mills.'

Azelea “Knot” Centre is an independent, strong-willed woman who likes to live life on her own terms. She is an unabashed alcoholic who refuses to comply with societal norms, like marriage. Her next door neighbor, Otis Lee, is a close friend who tries to “fix” Knot by trying to convince her to settle down and live a more traditional life. Host Frank Stasio talks to author De’Shawn Charles Winslow about his debut novel,

These two characters and their friendship drive the plot of the new novel “In West Mills” (Bloomsbury Publishing/2019). It takes place over the course of more than four decades in a post-war, fictionalized African-American community in North Carolina.

Host Frank Stasio talks to author De’Shawn Charles Winslow about his debut novel, inspired by his own experience growing up in Elizabeth City. It explores themes of friendship, forgiveness and love. Winslow will be at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill Tuesday, June 11 at 7 p.m.

Copyright 2019 North Carolina Public Radio
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio
Amanda Magnus
Amanda Magnus grew up in Maryland and went to high school in Baltimore. She became interested in radio after an elective course in the NYU journalism department. She got her start at Sirius XM Satellite Radio, but she knew public radio was for her when she interned at WNYC. She later moved to Madison, where she worked at Wisconsin Public Radio for six years. In her time there, she helped create an afternoon drive news magazine show, called Central Time. She also produced several series, including one on Native American life in Wisconsin. She spends her free time running, hiking, and roller skating. She also loves scary movies.
See stories by Amanda Magnus