The "Dog Days of Summer" are coming to a close, but the heat is still blazing. As everyone daydreams of the cool crisp days of autumn, Intellectual ink Magazine is focused on the vital role that "Black Bookstores" play in our communities. Issue 19 features Yona Deshommes CEO of Riverchild Media LLC, and her company's role in amplifying black authors. August/September is the season of transition, and it's a perfect time to reflect on the past year and set our sights on the year to come and the people and institutions who have our best interests at heart.

As always, we've got our regular features: Charlotte's Closet takes you on her first adventure as a celebrity stylist in "Understands the Assignment." Erick S. Gray talks about "Guns in America." Haikeem Stokes takes you on a "Summertime High" with a walk-through of the Walters Art Museum, and Author Untamed invites you to "Grow and Glow with Indie Love!" In Write News, we have Naleighna Kai, and Carole McDonnell, and we're bossing up with Dawnyale Peeks. Karen E. Quinones Miller tells of the "Silent Protest March of 1917," and Coach Coco advises without judgment on the "Chat Line."

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we've enjoyed putting it together. Sending you Love & Light.