Dr. Candice N. Hale is a writer, literary critic, and storyteller based in Gadsden, Alabama. After 18 years teaching English across Alabama and Louisiana, she now writes book reviews for the Alabama Writers' Forum, features for JBMC Media/Enjoy Hoover, and personal essays for her Substack, Candid Pieces, alongside a Bookstagram platform that amplifies Black readers and diverse literary voices. She holds a Ph.D. in English from Louisiana State University.