Victoria Scott-Miller, founder of Liberation Station in Southeast Raleigh, North Carolina’s first Black-owned children’s bookstore, recommends stories by and about Black women.
by Ayn-Monique Klahre

An award-winning children’s author, Scott-Miller founded Liberation Station in 2019 as North Carolina’s first Black-owned children’s bookstore. She’s committed to ensuring that Black children see themselves on the page.

What kinds of books do you gravitate toward, generally?

I gravitate toward stories written by and about Black women, especially ones that explore healing, identity, motherhood, community and what it means to choose yourself after life has asked a lot of you. Whether it’s fiction, memoir or essays, I love books that center Black women’s interior lives. So often we’re asked to be strong, but I’m interested in stories that allow Black women to be fully human: joyful, complicated, vulnerable, ambitious, and free. Those are the stories that stay with me long after I’ve finished reading.

What book are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading Score by Kennedy Ryan and revisiting Kin by Tayari Jones.

What is the best light read you’ve enjoyed recently?

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. It’s funny, romantic, smart and deeply Black without ever feeling like it’s carrying the weight of explanation. The chemistry between the characters is unforgettable, but what I appreciated most was how Williams made room for both joy and vulnerability. It’s the kind of book you can finish in a weekend and still find yourself thinking about weeks later.

What’s the best deeper book you’ve read recently?

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates asks difficult questions about storytelling, history, memory and who gets to shape narratives. As a bookseller and literacy advocate, I found myself returning to entire passages because they challenged me to think more deeply about the responsibility of telling stories and preserving them. It’s the kind of book that sparks conversation long after you’ve put it down.

What is a classic/older book that you either always recommend, or have read many times?

Black-Eyed Susans: Classic Stories by and About Black Women edited by Mary Helen Washington. This is one of those books I return to again and again. It introduced me to voices that helped shape my understanding of Black womanhood, resilience, joy, and survival. The collection feels timeless because the stories remain relevant, and every reread reveals something new. It’s a reminder that Black women have always been telling powerful stories, even when the literary world wasn’t paying attention.

What is a book by a Raleigh or North Carolina author that you’d recommend?

Any book by award-winning author Tracy Deonn. Deonn has redefined what fantasy can look like for a new generation of readers. Her work brilliantly weaves Southern history, Black culture, grief, identity and magic into stories that feel both expansive and deeply personal. What I admire most is her ability to create worlds where Black young people are centered not as side characters, but as heroes. She’s one of North Carolina’s literary treasures, and her books deserve a place on every reader’s shelf.

Visit Liberation Station Bookstore at 430 Hill Street or online at liberationstationbookstore.com.

This article first appeared in the August 2026 issue of WALTER Magazine.