Five-Carat Soul

The stories range from humorous to poignant, often within the same piece. I'm curious about how the tone shifts were planned or evolved during writing.

The stories vividly capture African American experiences with warmth and humor. Did you find yourself relating to any particular story's portrayal of identity?

The variety kept the collection fresh, but I wonder if there was a unifying theme or message that McBride aimed to communicate through this diversity.