The Literally Black Book Club is one of the experiences inside The Cookout, an exclusive membership for Black women who love books, culture, and community.

Unlike free book clubs, this membership helps sustain:

• Curated book selections & book boxes (for Rich Aunties & Nieces).
• Live author talks & discussions inside The Gazebo.
• The Groupchat, our private space for bookish convos away from outside noise.
• Discounts & early access to exclusive bookish products.
• The time, effort, and creativity that goes into making this space possible.

Literally Black is a one-woman business—I personally curate, design, pack, ship, and create everything that makes this space what it is. Your membership isn’t just paying for access—it’s supporting a Black-owned business and ensuring this community thrives.

This isn’t just a book club—it’s a family. I’m grateful for everyone who pulls up to The Cookout.

Aunties get the full spread. Each month, you'll receive our handpicked book shipped to your door, plus access to all of our book club meetings in The Gazebo (our private Zoom space), bonus Nightcap sessions with special guests, and our private reader space on the Bookclubs app. You'll also be invited to our Family Cook Dates, where we hop on Zoom and cook together like it’s Sunday dinner.

The Cousins come for the conversations. As a member, you’ll receive:
✔ Access to The Gazebo for live book discussions.
✔ Full access to The Groupchat to stay engaged between meetings.
✔ General public emails + book club meeting links.

This is for those who want to be part of the discussions, even if they don’t need book shipments.

Cookout Selections ship on the 1st of every month. If you joined after the 1st, your first book will be the next month’s selection. You’ll get an email with tracking once it ships. Please refer to your confirmation email and check the FAQ before emailing us.

You do not have to be Black to join the conversations or to shop with us. We do however encourage that you join with the understanding of who we are and what we do. We will not entertain trolls or anyone coming in to disrupt and cause issues. We amplify Black voices, let that be the understanding.

Yep! You can pause or cancel your membership anytime before the next renewal date. Just log into your account and manage your subscription directly. No hoops or hard feelings.

While we don’t go back to previous reads or ship boxes that have already been sent, you might still catch past picks on the site. I sell books directly, so if it’s still in stock, you can grab it and support a Black-owned bookshop while you're at it. You won’t be able to join the convo since we’ve already moved on, but the story’s still waiting for you when you’re ready to read.

Once you sign up, you’ll get a welcome email with all the details to join the groupchat and attend our Zoom sessions. Everything you need will land in your inbox.

I’m always excited to discover new books and share them with our community! I choose our monthly book club reads based on a variety of factors, including subject matter, cost, accessibility, and more. While I can only select one book per month for the club to read together, I’m still open to promoting other books on my social media channels.

If your book isn’t selected as a club read, there’s still a chance I might post about it to share with my audience. Unfortunately, with the number of submissions I receive and the fact that our club reads only one book a month, it’s impossible to feature every book in our lineup.

To submit your book for consideration, whether for the book club or a potential social media feature, please email me at naomidl@literallyblack.co. I look forward to checking out your work!